The Sindh High Court (SHC) has suspended Karachi University’s move to cancel the law degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri. This ruling is seen as a major victory for Justice Jahangiri, coming just days after the Supreme Court (SC) declared an earlier IHC order against him as null and void.
The SHC order prevents further action by the university’s Syndicate and its Fairmen’s Committee, which had recommended the degree cancellation. The court questioned whether Justice Jahangiri was given proper notice or an opportunity to defend himself before his degree was revoked.
Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro, who heard the case, criticized the university’s handling of the matter. He pressed the Registrar to explain the process, highlighting that any decision made without hearing the affected party carried no legal weight. The court noted that if a complaint is raised decades later, fairness demands the individual must first be heard.
The hearing has been adjourned until November 20, with the SHC warning that further action could cause irreparable harm. For now, this ruling stands as another legal victory for Justice Jahangiri.
BACKGROUND
The SHC’s intervention follows the Supreme Court’s September 30 ruling, where a five-member bench headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan overturned the IHC’s September 16 order that had barred Justice Jahangiri from performing judicial duties. The SC ruled that such restrictions on a sitting judge through an interim order were not legally sustainable.
The controversy began in July 2023 after a letter, allegedly from Karachi University’s controller of examinations, surfaced online, questioning the authenticity of Justice Jahangiri’s degree. This led to complaints filed with the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) and petitions challenging his appointment.
However, the tide has shifted in recent weeks. The SHC dismissed seven petitions against him due to non-prosecution, while the SC and SHC rulings have restored his ability to continue judicial work. Together, these developments mark a decisive victory for Justice Jahangiri in defending both his degree and his judicial role.
In other news read more about: Govt Blocks X Over “Illegal Content”: Sources
