ISLAMABAD:
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered the High Education Commission (IHC) – the authority that regulates universities and education-granting institutions in the country – to present IHC Judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri’s educational result.
A division bench of the court comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan on Tuesday issued this order while hearing a petition accusing Justice Jahangiri of having a dubious legal degree.
During the hearing, the court inquired as to the whereabouts of the court-appointed amicus curiae. Barrister Zafarullah Khan informed the court that he was present as per the directions of the court.
The counsel for the Islamabad District Bar Association said the lawyer had moved an application to become a party to the case. The bench replied that the request would be dealt with later, adding that the immediate priority was to obtain the judge’s educational record from the HEC.
“We are only asking the HEC for the matter at this stage without delving into the merits of the matter,” the CJ said. The bench later adjourned the hearing indefinitely.
The division bench comprising Justice Dogar and Justice Khan on September 16 stopped Jahangiri from performing his duties when it issued notices on the petition filed by Mian Dawood Advocate.
Interestingly, the bench also sought the assistance of Attorney General for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan on the issue of maintainability of the petition.
It also appointed senior advocates Barrister Zafarullah Khan and Ashtar Ali Ausaf as amici curiae.
The bench noted that until the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) decided the case, the judge could not hear cases.
The IHC judge and a number of his colleagues had later moved the Supreme Court, which on September 30 set aside the division bench’s interim order.
Meanwhile, the bench was reconstituted with Justice Khadim Hussian Soomro replacing Justice Muhammad Azam Khan. But when the new bench resumed hearing the case on October 28, Justice Soomro recused himself citing personal reasons.
Last year, the syndicate of the University of Karachi canceled the degree of IHC judge.
On September 25, after the IHC stopped the judge from performing his duties, the university also issued a notice confirming its syndicate’s decision.
