The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has reportedly issued notices to all concerned parties in the degree controversy involving Justice Tariq Mehmood Jehangiri.
Notices were sent to the federal government through the Ministry of Law, the President through the Principal Secretary, the secretary of the Judicial Commission, and the parliamentary committee on judges’ appointments.
The court also reportedly issued notices to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and Karachi University, while Justice Jehangiri himself has been served notice.
All parties have been directed to submit their responses within three days, and the court has declared the writ petition admissible.
The HEC reportedly submitted a report stating it has no role in the administrative affairs of universities and that the issue is an internal matter of Karachi University.
The commission said universities alone are responsible for issuing degrees and added that Justice Jehangiri’s degree was never presented for verification.
Karachi University reportedly detailed the reasons for cancelling Justice Jehangiri’s degree.
The university stated that its Unfair Means Committee banned him for three years in 1989 after finding him guilty of cheating and threatening an examiner. Despite the ban, he allegedly used a forged 1990 enrolment form to obtain a degree.
The university added that the enrolment number on the degree belonged to another student, while a second enrolment number used in 1990 was reportedly obtained through forgery.
Multiple mismatched enrolment numbers and altered names were used to generate mark sheets and the degree.
The controversy surfaced after a citizen, Irfan Mazhar, applied for verification on May 23, 2024.
The Controller of Examinations reviewed both enrolment numbers and declared the degree invalid. The principal of Islamia College also confirmed that Tariq Mehmood was never enrolled there between 1984 and 1991.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice instructed the Advocate General of Islamabad to read Karachi University’s report in court.
The Advocate General presented the responses from both Karachi University and the HEC. Judicial Assistant Barrister Zafarullah Khan supported the admissibility of the petition and offered legal arguments.
Petitioner Advocate Mian Dawood began his arguments, emphasizing the university’s letter declaring the degree fake.
Written replies submitted by HEC and Karachi University were placed on record.
The case is being heard by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Azam Khan, with Judicial Assistant Barrister Zafarullah also present.
