SHC stops KU from taking away the judge’s degree
The Sindh High Court (SHC) has put a stop to the University of Karachi’s (KU) intention to take away the degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri.
On Friday, a division bench led by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro heard Justice Jahangiri’s petition against the university’s order from last week and made this decision.
The University of Karachi’s Syndicate canceled Justice Jahangiri’s degree on August 31, 2024, saying it was “invalid.” This was done based on the advice of the university’s Unfair Means (UFM) Committee.
On September 5, 2024, the SHC put the university’s decision on hold.
On September 25, 2025, the university’s registrar released a “declaration” saying that Tariq Mahmood, son of Qazi Muhammad Akram, had been found guilty of cheating in the late 1980s.
“Disqualification Circular No. 88 of 1989 said that he could not go to any university or college or take any university degree exams for three years. He was never a student at Islamia Law College Karachi.
“Following the syndicate meeting on August 31, 2024, which passed Resolution No. 06, the LLB results and degree of Tariq Mehmood, who had Seat No. 22857 and Enrollment No. AIL-7124/87, are now void and removed. “This is being issued with the vice chancellor’s permission,” it said.
Sindh Advocate General Jawad Dero, KU Registrar Prof. Dr. Imran Siddiqui, and other authorities showed up in court on Friday. The registrar indicated that the university had only gotten the court notice two days ago. He asked for more time to respond.
Barrister Salahuddin, who is representing Justice Jahangiri, said that the respondents should be given time to file their reply, but the cancellation order should be put on hold in the meantime.
Justice Kalhoro asked who would pay for the damage done to the judge if the KU’s cancellation order is later overturned. “This has to do with a man’s reputation for life. “Did the affected party ever get a notice before his degree was canceled?” he asked.
The registrar said he was new to the job and didn’t know. Justice Kalhoro said that the official had to answer if he was going to court.
“It could be that the action was made for personal reasons. People are questioning his degree after 30 to 35 years. If such an application is considered after decades, the person who is affected must be given a chance to speak.
“We’re not saying that no action can be taken; the law allows it. But how can we put someone’s honor at risk?” He went on to say, “Even ex parte judgments are not good judgments.”
The court later put a stop to the university’s intention to take away Jahangiri’s degree and told the Syndicate and the Unfair Means Committee not to do anything else. On October 24, the bench will continue the hearing.
On September 30, the Supreme Court threw out an interim order from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that had stopped Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri from doing his job as a judge. On September 16, an IHC division bench led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar halted Justice Jahangiri from doing his job because it started a quo warranto case accusing him of having a questionable LLB degree.