KARACHI, Jan 15: City Nazim Naimatullah Khan on Thursday awarded gold medal to a blind student, Mumtaz Umer, on behalf of Korangi Town, who completed his PhD from the University of Karachi in Urdu literature.

Mumtaz Umer is the second blind student who completed PhD despite his physical disability and obtained doctorate degree on his thesis on "Analysis of Naseem Hijazi's Historical Novels." Earlier, a female student, Farzana Salman Ponawala, was awarded PhD degree by KU a few years back.

Speaking at a ceremony, held to award gold medal to the blind scholar at Korangi Town Hall, the city Nazim congratulated the student for acquiring doctorate degree despite his inability to see.

He said people of the city felt honoured to have people with such extraordinary abilities among them, adding that such people should be encouraged.

Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal MNA Abdul Sattar Afghani, Jamat-i-Islami leader Aslam Mujahid and Town Nazim, Korangi, Abdul Jamil Khan also spoke on the occasion.-PPI