Justice Tariq Jahangiri says does not trust IHC CJ Dogar

IHC judge Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, whose degree was declared fake by the Islamabad High Court (IHC), on Monday prayed to the court to refer the fake degree case against him to another bench, saying he did not trust IHC Chief Justice (CJ) Sarfaraz Dogar, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

A two-member division bench, comprising CJ Dogar and Justice Azam Khan, heard the case.

The judge said he was willing to take oath on the holy Quran to prove that his degree is not fake.

The court directed Jahangiri to provide a copy of the petition and all other related documents.

The judge sought time from the court.

The IHC directed the University of Karachi’s registrar to appear at the next hearing along with the relevant record.

Later, the court adjourned the case’s hearing until December 18.

The University of Karachi (KU) and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) on Tuesday submitted in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) their replies in the fake degree case of the IHC judge Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In its reply, the KU said that in 1989, the university’s unfair means committee imposed a three-year ban on the judge, who was a student at that time, for cheating and threatening the examiners. “In light of the ban, Jahangiri was supposed to sit in the exam in 1992,” it said, adding, “But despite the ban, the judge used a fake enrollment form in 1990.”

The university further said that Jahangiri used a fake stamp of the Government Islamia College on the form. “The enrollment number on the judge’s degree: 5968/87 had been allotted to a student named Imtiaz Ahmad. Moreover, in 1990, Jahangiri got himself allotted enrolment number 7184/87 for appearing in the LLB Part-II exam through illegal means,” the KU said in its reply, adding that the judge got the law degree and marks sheets by changing names and enrolment numbers.

It went on to say that on May 23, 2024, Irfan Mazhar, a citizen, submitted an application for the verification of Jahangiri’s degree.

In response to the application, the examiner again checked both enrolment numbers and declared that the degree and marks sheets were not genuine.

“On July 5, 2024, the registrar IHC sought the confirmation of the examiner’s letter via an e-mail,” the KU said, adding, “Responding to the e-mail, the university confirmed the examiner’s letter declaring the degree fake.”

Besides that, the reply read, Islamia College principal also confirmed that Jahangiri had never been their student from 1984 and 1991.

In its reply, the HEC said it had nothing to do with the awarding of a degree. “The awarding of a degree is the job of a university,” the commission said, adding, “If the university does not recognize the degree, the HEC does the same.”

The commission further said that it provided guidelines for an improvement in the system of education at universities, and that it had nothing to do with the internal matters of universities.

The HEC went on to say that no application was submitted to it for the verification of Jahangiri's degree.

Reporter: Ihtesham Kiani