Notices Issued to Key Institutions
The Islamabad High Court has declared maintainable a petition questioning the LLB degree of Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri. The division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, issued notices to the federal government, the President of Pakistan, the Judicial Commission, the Parliamentary Committee on Judges’ Appointment, the Higher Education Commission (HEC), and Karachi University.
Petitioner’s Argument
Advocate Mian Daud, the petitioner, appeared before the court and submitted written replies from HEC and Karachi University. He argued that under Article 193 of the Constitution, a High Court judge must be a qualified lawyer. According to him, Karachi University’s Controller of Examinations confirmed in an official letter that Justice Jahangiri’s degree is not genuine. He added: “We filed a quo warranto petition based on a newspaper report, and now the burden of proof lies on the judge to establish the authenticity of his degree.”
Counterarguments from Bar Representatives
Islamabad Bar lawyer Ahmad Hassan contended that the petitioner is not an affected party in this matter. He maintained that if there is any issue regarding the degree, it should be referred to the Bar Council. He further noted that Justice Jahangiri was appointed as a judge by the Judicial Commission after practicing law, and matters concerning degrees fall under the jurisdiction of the Bar Council.
The Islamabad District Bar also opposed the maintainability of the petition, arguing that such issues fall within the domain of the Supreme Judicial Council. Bar Council member Raja Aleem Abbasi told the court: “With Article 209 in place, such trends can undermine the independence of the judiciary.”
Background
Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri’s appointment has come under scrutiny following allegations about the authenticity of his academic qualifications. The case has sparked debate over judicial accountability, the role of regulatory bodies like HEC, and the constitutional safeguards for judicial independence.