The Islamabad High Court has issued a detailed judgment invalidating the appointment of former judge Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri after finding that he had served on the bench without a valid law degree for nearly five years. The decision, delivered on February 23, 2026, declared his elevation to the high court “without lawful authority” and therefore unconstitutional, ultimately leading to his removal from judicial office.
Justice Jahangiri had been appointed to the Islamabad High Court in December 2020 but was barred from performing judicial functions in September 2025 as questions about his academic qualifications began to surface. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan authored the 116‑page ruling, which concluded that he lacked the fundamental eligibility requirement of a recognised law degree at the time of his appointment.
At the centre of the controversy were discrepancies in Jahangiri’s law degree from the University of Karachi. Court records and official university documentation revealed that he appeared for law examinations using multiple enrolment numbers and under different names, which is inconsistent with the standard academic process. The University of Karachi registrar confirmed that his academic documents were fraudulent, and the Higher Education Commission noted that his law degree was never officially verified or authenticated by its office.
The bench observed that Jahangiri initially appeared for his LLB Part‑I examination in 1988 using a fake enrolment number. He was reportedly caught using unfair means and, as a result, was barred from academic enrolment for three years. Instead of serving the disciplinary ban, he allegedly reappeared for exams under a different name and enrolment number allegedly belonging to another student, further undermining the legitimacy of his credentials. These actions led the court to conclude that his degree was void from the outset, described in legal terms as “void ab initio.”
The principal of Government Islamia Law College also informed the court that Jahangiri “was never admitted” to the institution, further eroding the credibility of his purported qualification. These academic irregularities formed the basis for the high court’s finding that his appointment was a “legal nullity” and lacked statutory authority.
Despite multiple opportunities to submit original documents and respond in writing, Jahangiri failed to provide satisfactory evidence to substantiate his degree, according to the court. Instead, he filed applications seeking a full bench, recusal of the chief justice, and adjournments, which the court described as “dilatory tactics” intended to delay proceedings rather than address the core issues of eligibility.
The high court ruling emphasised that individuals appointed to judicial office must meet constitutional and statutory qualifications, including possession of a valid law degree. It held that public trust in the judiciary depends on adherence to these standards, and that appointment of an unqualified individual undermines the integrity of the legal system. The court ordered immediate denotification of Jahangiri from his judicial post and directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to take necessary administrative action.
The case has drawn significant attention as an example of judicial accountability and the enforcement of eligibility standards in Pakistan’s legal system. It underlines the importance of transparent verification processes for appointments to high office and the consequences when foundational requirements are not met.
