SHC halts KU move to revoke judge's degree

Asks registrar why it did not hear Justice Jahangiri

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has suspended the University of Karachi's (KU) decision to cancel the degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri.

A division bench led by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro issued this order on Friday while hearing Justice Jahangiri's petition against the university's last week order.

On August 31, 2024, the University of Karachi's Syndicate annulled the allegedly "invalid" degree of Justice Jahangiri on the recommendations of the university's Unfair Means (UFM) Committee.

The SHC on September 5, 2024 suspended the university's decision.

However, the university's registrar on September 25, 2025 issued a "declaration", stating that Tariq Mahmood son of Qazi Muhammad Akram had been found guilty of using unfair means in late 80s.

"[He] was debarred for three years to take admission in any university/college and to appear in any university degree examination under Disqualification Circular No 88 of 1989 and was never a student of Islamia Law College Karachi.

"In compliance with the syndicate meeting held on August 31, 2024 vide Resolution No 06, the LLB results and degree of Tariq Mehmood bearing Seat No 22857; Enrollment No AIL-7124/87 is hereby withdrawn and cancelled. This is being issued with the approval of the vice chancellor," it added.

At Friday's hearing, Sindh Advocate General Jawad Dero, KU Registrar Prof Dr Imran Siddiqui, and other officials appeared before the bench. The registrar said that the university had received the court notice only two days ago. He requested time to submit a reply.

Counsel for Justice Jahangiri, Barrister Salahuddin, submitted that the respondents might be given time to file their reply, but the cancellation order should meanwhile be suspended.

Justice Kalhoro remarked if the KU's cancellation order is later overturned, who will compensate for the damage caused to the judge. "This involves a man's lifelong reputation. Was the affected party ever issued a notice before the cancellation of his degree?" he asked.

The registrar replied that he was newly posted and was not aware. Justice Kalhoro noted that if the official was appearing before court, he must give an answer.

"It may be that action was taken out of personal interest. His degree is being questioned after 30–35 years. If such an application is entertained after decades, the affected individual must be given a hearing.

"We are not saying that no action can be taken — the law allows it — but how can we put someone's honour at stake? Even ex-parte judgments are not considered good judgments," he added.

The court later suspended the university's decision to cancel Jahangiri's degree and barred further action on the recommendations of the Syndicate and the Unfair Means Committee. The bench will resume the hearing on October 24.

The Supreme Court on September 30 set aside an Islamabad High Court (IHC) interim order that had restrained Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri from performing judicial work.An IHC division bench led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar on September 16 stopped Justice Jahangiri from performing his duties as it began proceedings on a quo warranto petition accusing him of holding a dubious LLB degree.