KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has suspended Karachi University’s decision to cancel the law degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri. The SHC decision comes just days after the Supreme Court (SC) declared a separate IHC order barring him from judicial duties as null and void.
The SHC’s decision halts any further action by the university’s Syndicate and its Fairmen’s Committee, which had recommended the controversial degree cancellation. The court questioned whether Justice Jahangiri had been given due notice or the opportunity to respond before his degree was revoked.
Also read: SC declares IHC order barring Justice Jahangiri from work null and void
The case was heard by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, who sharply interrogated the university’s process. “Was the affected party given notice?” the court asked, to which the Registrar of Karachi University replied that he was newly appointed and unaware of the details.
“If you’ve come to court, you must provide an answer,” the court responded, also warning of possible personal motivations behind the university’s action. Justice Kalhoro further pressed on the procedural fairness, noting, “A court decision made without hearing the parties holds no legal importance,” and asked, “If someone files a complaint after 35 years, shouldn’t the affected party be heard first?”
The hearing was adjourned until November 20, allowing the university time to file a proper response. The SHC also expressed concern about potential irreparable harm if any further action were taken against the judge during the interim period.
CASE BACKGROUND
SHC’s decision follows the Supreme Court’s decision on September 30, where a five-member constitutional bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan declared the IHC’s September 16 order barring Justice Jahangiri from performing judicial duties ‘null and void’.
The apex court had already suspended the IHC’s order a day earlier, noting that a judge cannot be restrained from work through an interim ruling. Both the Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) and the original petitioner, Advocate Mian Daud, agreed that such a restriction on a sitting judge was not legally sustainable.
The Supreme Court also directed the IHC to first resolve pending objections raised by the SC Registrar’s Office on the original petition challenging Justice Jahangiri’s appointment.
The controversy dates back to July 2023, when a letter, allegedly from Karachi University’s controller of examinations, surfaced on social media, casting doubt on the authenticity of Justice Jahangiri’s law degree. A formal complaint was submitted to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC), and a separate petition was filed in the IHC earlier this year challenging his appointment.
Also read: SC restores Justice Jahangiri, suspends IHC order
However, the legal tide has since turned in the judge’s favor. Last week, the SHC dismissed seven separate petitions against his degree cancellation on grounds of non-prosecution. The SC’s ruling now restores his ability to perform judicial duties, and the SHC’s latest move halts further administrative action against his academic credentials, at least for now.