In a stunning judicial scandal, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has removed one of its own judges, Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, after it was revealed that he had served on the bench for years using a fake law degree.
According to a report by Dawn, the IHC issued a 116-page detailed judgement on February 23, declaring Jahangiri’s law degree void ab initio, meaning invalid from the very beginning. As a result, his appointment as a High Court judge was legally null and void.
Jahangiri had been appointed to the IHC in December 2020 and was barred from performing judicial duties in September 2025 while the inquiry was ongoing.
Fake Degree and Impersonation Revealed
The court’s decision was based on original academic records submitted by the University of Karachi Registrar, which showed that Jahangiri’s educational documents were fraudulent and based on impersonation.
The judgement revealed that:
- Jahangiri appeared in the law exam in 1988 using a fake enrolment number.
- He was caught cheating and banned for three years in 1989.
- Instead of accepting the punishment, he reappeared under the name “Tariq Jahangiri” in 1990.
- He used an enrolment number that belonged to another student named Imtiaz Ahmed.
Further, the principal of Government Islamia Law College confirmed to the court that Jahangiri was never admitted to the institution.
Court Slams Delay Tactics
The IHC bench noted that Jahangiri was given multiple opportunities to present original documents and submit a written reply but failed to do so.
Instead, he sought:
- A full bench hearing
- Recusal of the chief justice
- An indefinite adjournment citing related proceedings in the Sindh High Court
The court termed these moves “dilatory tactics” and ruled that once evidence was presented, the burden of proof shifted to Jahangiri, who failed to establish his legal credentials.
Appointment Declared Legally Invalid
Since Jahangiri’s law degree was declared fraudulent, the court concluded that his entire judicial appointment lacked legal standing, raising serious questions about the verdicts he delivered during his tenure.