Noted academician, founder of University of Management and Technology and chairman of ILM Trust Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad breathed his last following a tragic road accident on Monday evening. He was 59.
Dr Hasan was on his way back from Khunjerab Pass with his son Ibrahim Hasan Murad when the accident took place. The crash left Dr Hasan critically injured and he succumbed to his injuries shortly after. His son was also severely injured in the incident. The official page of UMT said the timings for the funeral prayers would be announced later.
On behalf of Rector UMT, DG UMT, this is sorrowfully announced that the Founder UMT and Chairman ILM Trust Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad has passed away in a tragic road accident.
"Surely we are Allah’s and indeed to Him we are returning."Timings of Namaz-e-Janaza will be shared soon pic.twitter.com/8ILm0dSDzG
— UMT (@UMTOfficial) September 10, 2018
Dr Hasan was a known academician both inside and outside the country and one who worked tirelessly to introduce innovation, inventiveness and new ideas to the academic landscape of Pakistan. Son of renowned Islamic scholar Khurram Murad, Dr Hasan was born in Karachi and received a bachelor’s degree in engineering from Karachi’s NED University of Engineering and Technology. He later did his MBA from Washington State University and completed his PhD from University of Wales, the UK.
He founded the University of Management and Technology first as the Institute of Leadership and Management in 1990. The institute received it charter from the Government of Punjab in 2004, thus becoming the University of Management and Technology. Besides UMT, the ILM Trust also set up a successful chain of schools – The Knowledge School network – and colleges – ILM College – under the leadership of Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad. He was also a member of UNESCO’s International Association of Universities, a leading global association of higher education institutions and organisations from around the world. He was also the chairman of National Business Education Accreditation Council (NBEAC).
Dr Hasan’s career was not only a beacon that guided and set benchmarks for the academia in Pakistan, but his tireless efforts also went a long way in improving industry-academia linkages. He was a strong advocate of cross sectorial collaborations. At last year’s International Business Conference and Exhibition (IBCE), he had said development was only possible through partnership between all sectors of economy. He had said that the academia, the government and the business sector needed to work in tandem to steer the country away from the crises.
The demise of Dr Hasan Sohaib Murad has truly left a void in the Pakistani academia that will take years to fill. He has left a proud legacy for his peers to imitate and one that will continue to remind the academic circles of his genius.
We sincerely offer the deepest condolences to the bereaved family and pray that his family members find the strength to bear this great loss of a truly remarkable human being.