The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Monday provided temporary relief to Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri by suspending an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order that had restrained him from performing his judicial duties over allegations of a fake law degree.
A constitutional bench, led by Justice Aminuddin Khan, set aside the IHC’s September 16 ruling and sought responses from the Attorney General’s Office, petitioner Dawood, and other stakeholders.
Senior lawyer Munir A. Malik, representing Justice Jahangiri, successfully argued for suspension of the IHC order.
Earlier, the IHC had directed Justice Jahangiri to step aside until the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) completed its inquiry, a move that cast a shadow over his decades-long career.
Judge’s response
Standing before his fellow judges, Justice Jahangiri voiced his pain and disbelief over the allegations.
“They are cancelling my degree after 34 years — this has never happened in the history of the world,” he said with visible dismay.
When asked about rumours of his resignation, he simply replied, “May Allah do good,” reflecting both humility and a sense of resignation to fate.
Background of allegations
The controversy traces back to July 2024, when the University of Karachi questioned the authenticity of Justice Jahangiri’s LL.B degree. According to official correspondence:
- In 1989, he appeared in LL.B Part One under Enrollment No. AIL 5968 as “Tariq Jahangiri, son of Muhammad Akram.”
- In 1991, he cleared LL.B Part Two under Enrollment No. AIL 7124/87 as “Tariq Mehmood, son of Qazi Muhammad Akram.”
However, university records revealed that Enrollment No. AIL 5968 had originally been assigned to another student, raising doubts about the degree’s legitimacy.
For Justice Jahangiri, who has spent over three decades in service to the law, the allegations are not merely about academic records but about personal honour and dignity. The final word now rests with the Supreme Judicial Council, which will determine the truth behind the claims.
