President Zardari Approves De-notification of Justice Tariq Jahangiri After IHC Verdict

President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the de-notification of Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri. This comes after the IHC declared his appointment unlawful because he did not hold a valid LLB degree at the time of his appointment. The Prime Minister advised the president to take this action.

The verdict was announced by a two-member IHC bench led by Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan. The court directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to remove Justice Jahangiri from his position immediately.

Controversy Over Justice Jahangiri’s Degree

The main issue was Justice Jahangiri’s LLB degree. The University of Karachi cancelled his degree after finding irregularities. According to the university, the decision was made following Resolution No. 6 on August 31, 2024, based on the recommendations of the Unfair Means Committee (UFM).

Karachi University’s registrar, Imran Siddiqui, told the court that Justice Jahangiri used a fake enrolment number for his exams. He appeared in LLB Part I as “Tariq Jahangiri son of Muhammad Akram” and in Part II as “Tariq Mehmood son of Qazi Muhammad Akram.” The Islamia Law College confirmed that Justice Jahangiri was never a student there.

Justice Jahangiri did not appear in court. His lawyers, Akram Sheikh and Barrister Salahuddin, represented him. Salahuddin requested an indefinite adjournment and 30 days to submit replies. Sheikh argued that there was bias in the case and said the matter involved prejudice.

Other lawyers, including Mian Dawood, highlighted that Justice Jahangiri took a false oath and submitted fake documents. Dawood said the Supreme Court has the authority to check every document through writs of quo warranto.

Salahuddin argued that the issue was about procedural irregularities, not a fake degree. The Sindh High Court had temporarily suspended Karachi University’s cancellation.

The university confirmed that Justice Jahangiri had been banned for three years by the UFM for cheating and threatening an examiner. He later bypassed the ban using a false enrolment form. The university cancelled his degree after discovering these irregularities.

Following the IHC verdict, Justice Jahangiri must vacate his office. The Ministry of Law and Justice will implement the court’s order. The case has drawn attention to judicial appointments and the importance of proper documentation for judges.