ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the High Education Commission (IHC) – the authority that regulates universities and degree-awarding institutions in the country – to present the educational record of IHC judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri.
A division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan passed the order on Tuesday while hearing a petition, accusing Justice Jahangiri of having a dubious law degree.
During the hearing, the court asked where the court-appointed amicus curiae was. Advocate Zafarullah Khan informed the bench that he was present as per the instructions of the court.
The lawyer for the Islamabad District Bar Association said the bar association had filed an application to become a party to the case. The judiciary responded that the request would be examined later, adding that the immediate priority was to obtain the judge’s academic record from the HEC.
“We are only requesting the file from the HEC at this stage, without delving into the merits of the case,” the chief justice said. The court then adjourned the hearing indefinitely.
On September 16, the division bench comprising Justice Dogar and Justice Khan restrained Jahangiri from discharging his duties by issuing notices on the petition filed by advocate Mian Dawood.
Interestingly, the bench also sought assistance from Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on whether the petition was maintainable.
It also appointed senior advocates Zafarullah Khan and Ashtar Ali Ausaf as amici curiae.
The bench noted that until the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) ruled on the matter, the judge could not handle the cases.
The IHC judge and several of his colleagues then appealed to the Supreme Court, which on September 30 annulled the provisional order of the division chamber.
Meanwhile, the bench has been reconstituted with Justice Khadim Hussian Soomro replacing Justice Muhammad Azam Khan. However, when the new bench resumed hearing on October 28, Justice Soomro recused himself citing personal reasons.
Last year, the Karachi University union canceled the IHC judge degree.
On September 25, after the IHC blocked the judge from carrying out his duties, the university also issued a notice confirming its union’s decision.
