University of Management and Technology (UMT) President Ibrahim Hasan Murad has said that the nation is recovering from a pandemic that has taken countless lives and has led to a global economic disaster with a long-lasting impact. “By the grace of Allah Almighty, UMT did not waver in the face of this monstrous challenge and provided uninterrupted educational services to our students,” Ibrahim Murad said, adding that illiteracy has proven to be a bigger pandemic than coronavirus in Pakistan, with the highest number of out-of-school children. “We must fight against this menace as it has become the biggest threat to our national economy,” he added. The UMT president also announced 50 additional scholarships for students from Gilgit-Baltistan, Balochistan and Merged Areas. he expressed that it is fundamental responsibility of government of Pakistan and Higher Education Commission to look into the matter seriously by taking extra measures to avoid pandemic of illiteracy. “So with the cooperation of public and private educational institutes, government must fight against this serious threat as it is the basic need of time by giving scholarships to students,” he added.