DR Khan Mohammad Panhwar (1949-1999) was the founder of numerous educational, social and literary organisations including Department of Mass Communication, University of Sindh, Sindh Graduates Association, Dr. Anne Marie Schimmel Institute of Languages and Culture, Shaikh Abdul Majeed Sindhi Academy, Goth Sudhar Sangat and Monthly Paras. He edited a number of journals and periodicals and authored many books, articles and columns.
Dr. Khan Mohammad Panhwar will be remembered for his multi-farious services in the fields of literature, journalism, education and social work. He worked as assistant editor of monthly ‘Nai Zindagi’, a literary journal of the Ministry of Information.
Later, he became regional director in the Press Information Department (PID) at Hyderabad. He left this position and opted for the noble profession of teaching at the University of Sindh in September 1977.
The department of Journalism, which was later renamed as Mass Communication in University of Sindh, flourished because of his efforts. Dr. Panhwar was awarded Ph.D in journalism for his research work on the role of Daily ‘Al-Waheed’ in Pakistan movement.
Dr. Panhwar rendered a yeoman's services to the cause of Sindh's role in the freedom struggle and the Pakistan movement in particular. Unfortunately prior to his research on Daily ‘Al-Waheed’ there was no such record available except some stray papers and files of some newspaper in private possession.
In his research, besides tracing history of development of journalism and promotion of Sindhi language and literature, Dr.
Panhwar highlighted the contribution of Haji Abdullah Haroon and Sahikh Abdul Majeed Sindhi who were the founding fathers and moving spirit behind ‘Al-Waheed’. The Sindhi Adabi Board published his M.Phil research, which was on the life and achievements of Shaikh Abdul Majeed Sindhi, whereas his Ph.D. has also been published.
He founded Sindhi newspapers and periodicals association to cater to the problems faced by the Sindhi media. He authored a number of articles on various social problems and brought to light the achievements of prominent political and social personalities. During the course, he conducted interviews of several literary, political, historical and social figures including German Scholar Dr. Anne Marie Schimmel, G.M Syed, Pir Hussamdin Rashdi, Karim Bux Nizamani, Ghulam Mustafa Shah, and others.
NASIR ALI PANHWAR Karachi
