Degree vs Decree: IHC Suspends Justice Jahangiri from Judicial Duties

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has suspended Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri from judicial work pending a decision by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) on allegations regarding his academic credentials.

A division bench of the IHC — comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan — issued the suspension order on Monday during a hearing of a petition filed by lawyer Mian Dawood, who has sought Justice Jahangiri’s removal on the grounds of possessing a fake law degree.

The bench also appointed senior advocates Barrister Zafarullah Khan and Ashtar Ali Ausaf as judicial assistants, while the Attorney General was asked to assist on the question of the petition’s maintainability.

According to the updated duty roster, Justice Jahangiri’s name has been removed, stripping him of all responsibilities on both division and single benches.

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The petition dates back to last year when it was last heard by then-IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, who reserved his decision on July 11, 2024. However, that verdict was never announced, leading to a fresh hearing under the court’s current administration.

The controversy over Justice Jahangiri’s degree intensified in September 2023, when the Sindh High Court (SHC) suspended Karachi University’s (KU) decision to revoke his law degree. The SHC observed that the university’s syndicate had acted in his absence, denying him the opportunity to present his defence, which amounted to a violation of Article 10-A of the Constitution — the right to a fair trial.

The matter will now be placed before the SJC, the constitutional forum empowered to decide on misconduct allegations against superior court judges.