M. H. Panhwar

Muhammad Hussain Panhwar (Sindhi: محمد حسين پنهور; 25 December 1925 – 21 April 2007), commonly known as M. H. Panhwar, was a Pakistani engineer, environmentalist, and a scholar of history, archaeology, anthropology, historical geography, and geology.^[1]

He was born on 25 December 1925 in the village of Ibrahim (Kachi), Dadu District, Sindh, to Haji Khan, a poor farmer. He completed his primary education in his village and matriculated from Mehar. In 1949, he earned a B.E. in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering from NED College (now a university). Later, he received a scholarship from the Government of Sindh and earned a master's degree in Agricultural Engineering in the United States at the University of Wisconsin.^[1][2]

Panhwar was a distinguished expert in environmental science, history, archaeology, anthropology, and geological studies. His expertise included groundwater development, earth moving, agricultural machinery, waterlogging, salinity control, drainage, and post-harvest agriculture. He worked as an agricultural engineer for the governments of Sindh and West Pakistan for four years, and later served as a superintending engineer for Sindh and Balochistan until 1969. He authored 10 books on groundwater in Sindh and numerous papers on the Thar and Kohistan regions.

In 1964, he established a horticultural farm focused on fruit crops, which was converted into a research station in 1985 to introduce new varieties adaptable to Sindh's climate. He wrote 36 books on agriculture and post-harvest processing. Considered a "one-man Sindhologist," Panhwar published over 500 pages covering diverse aspects of Sindh.^[3]

From his first marriage, he had four sons: Rafi Hussain (died 2004), Tariq Hussain, Sani Hussain, and Muhammad Ali—all of whom settled in the United States. After the death of his first wife, he married Farzana Panhwar (died 2020), a biochemist who held several prominent positions. She served as the President of the Sindh Rural Women's Uplift Group, Managing Director of the Soil Testing Laboratory (Pvt) Ltd., and headed the Agro-Chemistry and Organic Agriculture division at Research & Development Engineers.^[4] Farzana authored numerous publications and represented Pakistan at various international conferences.^[5]

In June 2003, Panhwar founded a trust for social welfare initiatives in Sindh. He donated his home, office, agricultural land, orchard, library, and other assets to the trust. Panhwar died on 21 April 2007.^[6]

• Sitara-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan.^[7]
• Gold Medal from University of Sindh for securing top position in B.E. (Mechanical and Electrical), 1949.
• Included in "Who's Who" (1987–88)
• Lifetime Achievement Award (1999) for contributions in history and archaeology, awarded by Tarqi Pasand Party
• Lifetime Achievement Award (2002) for contributions in engineering and agriculture, awarded by Revivers
• Named Top Horticulturist of Pakistan (2004) by Khabreen, KisanTimes TV, and Chawla Group
• Lifetime Research on Sindh Award (2004), Sindh Graduates Association
• Lifetime Service to Agricultural Science Award (2004), Sindh Agriculture University

Panhwar authored 10 books on groundwater and many articles on Thar and Kohistan deserts. He also wrote 36 books on agriculture and post-harvest fruit handling.

• Panhwar, M. H. & Farzana, "Sustainable methods as applied to raising fruit crops", IOSHAR, Hyderabad and Sindh Society for Horticultural Science, Karachi, 1995
• Farzana Panhwar, "Flora of Thar and Kohistan Desert", J. Sindh Quarterly, Vol. XV, No. 3, 1988
• Farzana Panhwar, "New Resources for Oleochemical and Agrochemical Industry"
• M. H. Panhwar & Farzana, "Design of an Aquaculture Enterprise", J. Pak. Agri., Vol. VII, No. 10, Oct 1985
• Farzana Panhwar, "Anaerobic Digestion and Use of Its Residues in Agriculture", Mehran Univ. Res. J., Vol. 12, No. 3, July 1993, pp. 18–22
• Farzana & M. H. Panhwar, "Scope for Prawn Farming along Sindh Coast", J. Sci. Tech. and Development
• Farzana & M. H. Panhwar, "Samphire – An Edible Oil Crop for Sindh", DAWN Econ. & Business Review, May–June 1995
• Farzana & M. H. Panhwar, "Intellectual Property Rights Production", DAWN Econ. & Business Rev., Dec. 1995
• Farzana & M. H. Panhwar, "Flying Fox as New Agriculture Pest"
• Farzana & M. H. Panhwar, "Neem vs. Eucalyptus in Social Forestry of Pakistan"
• M. H. Panhwar & Farzana, "Scope for Prawn Farming along Sindh Coast", PIMA Magazine
• Sikandar Ali Arbani, Farzana & M. H. Panhwar, "Anaerobic Digestion and Its Agricultural Use", Mehran Univ.
• "Chiku or Sapodilla – The Neglected Fruit of Sindh", Newsletter of Sindh Society for Horticultural Science
• "World Rural Women's Day Celebrated in Hyderabad", Sindh Agriculture, Nov. 1997
• "Earthworms, Vermicasts and Vermiculture", Wildlife & Environment, Oct–Dec 1997, pp. 25–29

• Thaheem, Aijaz Ali (2018). "M.H. Panhwar as a Historian". Pakistan Perspectives. 23 (1). University of Karachi: 145–163. ProQuest 2208643628.
• Baloach, Rafique (2020). "ایم. ايچ پنهور جو ادب ۽ تاريخ ۾ حصو: ھڪ تحقيقي جائزو" [Contribution of M.H. Panhwar in Literature and History: A Research Analysis]. Kalich Research Journal (in Sindhi). 6. University of Karachi: 49–64.