December 15, 2025
By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
The Islamabad High Court on Monday commenced hearing in a petition concerning allegations of a fake academic degree against Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri.
The case was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan. Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri appeared before the court in person and addressed the bench during the proceedings.Members of the Islamabad Bar Council, including Raja Aleem Abbasi and Zafar Khokhar, were also present in court. Lawyers representing the Islamabad Bar Association appeared as well.
During the hearing, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri came to the rostrum and raised objections to the proceedings. He told the court that his seniority had already been challenged before the Supreme Court. “You are also a judge and I am also a judge,” he said, addressing the bench.
Justice Jahangiri stated that a quo warranto petition in the Islamabad High Court had never previously been heard by a division bench. He said the situation he was facing was unprecedented. “What has happened to me has never happened anywhere in the world,” he remarked.
He further said that he was issued a notice and simultaneously restrained from performing judicial work. According to Justice Jahangiri, the petitioner had requested an adjournment, yet the court proceeded to stop him from judicial duties. He said the notice was issued for three days without detailed arguments.
Justice Jahangiri pointed out that the petition was more than one and a half years old and questioned how one judge could issue a notice to another judge in such a manner. He warned that if such practices continued, more quo warranto petitions could follow, further affecting the judiciary.
Addressing the allegations directly, Justice Jahangiri said he was willing to take an oath on the Holy Quran that his degree was not fake. He questioned how a degree could be declared fake after 34 years.
He also expressed a lack of confidence in the present bench hearing the matter and requested that the case be transferred to any other judges of the court. “I do not expect justice from this court,” he said, asking for the matter to be assigned elsewhere.
The bench directed the office to provide Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri with the complete record of the case. Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar observed that all related petitions would be heard together.
Petitioner Mian Dawood requested that the case be heard on a day-to-day basis. After hearing the parties, the court adjourned the proceedings until Thursday.
The Islamabad High Court also summoned the registrar of Karachi University along with the complete record related to the matter. The court further directed that copies of the petition and all relevant documents be provided to Justice Jahangiri. The case stems from a decision taken on August 31, 2024, when the syndicate of Karachi University, acting on the recommendations of the university’s Unfair Means (UFM) Committee, cancelled what it described as the “invalid” degree of Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri. While the university’s official statement issued after the syndicate meeting did not mention Justice Jahangiri by name, it stated that the committee had recommended cancellation of degrees and enrollment cards of candidates found involved in unethical and inappropriate practices.
The syndicate meeting was held amid controversy, as one of its members, Dr Riaz Ahmed, was reportedly taken into police custody, allegedly to prevent him from attending the meeting.
Subsequently, on September 5, 2024, the Sindh High Court suspended Karachi University’s decision. A division bench comprising Justice Salahuddin Panhwar and Justice Amjad Ali Sahito, while hearing a petition filed against the university’s action, restrained the university from taking any further steps against Justice Jahangiri. The Islamabad High Court will resume hearing the matter on Thursday.