The University of Karachi on Friday issued a notification withdrawing and cancelling the LLB [Bachelor of Law] degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, a day after the Sindh High Court (SHC) rejected a plea by him to become party to proceedings on petitions challenging the cancellation of his degree.
In its notification, the University of Karachi said that, on the recommendation of the Unfair Means Committee, it was withdrawing and cancelling Justice Jahangiri’s degree. Citing an Aug. 31, 2024 meeting of its Syndicate, it said the judge had been found guilty of unfair means in 1989 and debarred from taking admission in any university/college, or appearing in any degree exams for three years. “… [he] was never a student of Islamic Law College Karachi,” it added.
The SHC had, last year, suspended through an interim order the University’s decision, restraining it from taking any coercive measures.
The cancellation comes just a day after Justice Jahangiri appeared before a two-judge bench of the SHC, seeking to become party in proceedings on seven petitions challenging the cancellation of his law degree. He argued that as the aggrieved party he had a right of hearing, noting the University of Karachi had not issued him any notice before cancelling his degree.
Justices Mohammad Karim Khan Agha and Adnanul Karim Memon set aside his application, stating they would first hear and decide the maintainability of the petitions before the bench. Lawyers for the petitioners, however, objected to the jurisdiction of the bench and urged the court to decide their objections first. When their objections were not addressed, the petitioners and lawyers staged a walkout of the courtroom in protest.
The petitions, filed by various bar associations, lawyers and a member of the university’s Syndicate, had challenged the cancellation of Justice Jahangiri’s degree. The two-judge bench had taken up the petitions after the Sindh Higher Education Commission filed an urgent application seeking vacation of the interim stay order, arguing its “reputation” was under threat.
During proceedings, Justice Jahangiri told the bench he had always upheld his oath as a high court judge, maintaining his degree was genuine. “I did not act as a puppet, nor did I make decisions at the behest of any sector commander,” he said.
The embattled judge was recently barred from exercising judicial powers by an IHC division bench and has filed an appeal against the decision before the Supreme Court.