SHC suspends KU’s notification cancelling Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri’s degree

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday suspended the University of Karachi’s notification that had cancelled the law degree of Islamabad High Court’s Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri.

Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro took up the petition of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, who challenged the revocation of his degree by the University of Karachi’s Unfair Means Committee (UMC) and Syndicate.

The SHC issued a stay order on the implementation of the UMC and Syndicate’s recommendations, barring any further action against Jahangiri.

During the hearing, Karachi University Registrar Prof. Imran Siddiqui appeared before the court and requested additional time to submit a response, stating that the university had received the court notice only two days earlier.

“We will grant time, but what if action is taken against the petitioner during this period?” Justice Kalhoro asked. “If the order is later overturned, who will compensate for the damage done? This is a matter involving a person’s entire life’s work.”

The petitioner’s counsel did not object to granting time but urged the court to suspend the cancellation order in the interim.

Justice Kalhoro questioned whether the affected party had been given a fair opportunity to be heard. “Was Justice Jahangiri ever notified during the degree cancellation process? It is possible that the action was motivated by personal interests,” he observed.

He emphasized the importance of due process, noting that even if a complaint is filed after 30 or 35 years, the affected individual must be heard. “A judicial decision made without hearing all parties holds no value. An ex parte judgment is not considered a good judgment,” the judge remarked.

The SHC adjourned further hearing until November 20.