Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri appeared before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday, presenting arguments in his defence against challenges to the legitimacy of his law degree and appointment as a judge while also raising objections over the division bench hearing the case.
A two-member IHC bench, led by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and also comprising Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, took up the matter on Monday in a packed courtroom.
The same bench had declared Dawood’s plea maintainable at the last hearing on December 9, issuing a verdict that was reserved in July last year. It had also barred Justice Jahangiri from judicial work in September, but the order was later set aside by the Supreme Court (SC).
Arguing his case, Justice Jahangiri raised the preliminary objection that the division bench was “inappropriate” to hear the case as a separate petition concerning its members was pending.
This, apparently, was a reference to challenges to Justice Dogar’s appointment as the IHC CJ.
“We have filed a petition against you. You cannot hear this case,” Justice Jahangiri asserted.
Moving on to defending his qualification, he contended that the case was based on a 34-year-old educational record. “I am ready to take an oath on the Holy Quran that my degree is genuine,” he contended. The judge also argued that the KU never declared his degree fake.
He also took an exception to the “haste” in which proceedings were being held, arguing against the issuance of a three-day notice to address a decades-old matter.
After raising objections in this regard on Monday, Justice Jahangiri also criticised the earlier IHC directive barring him from work.
“Never in the judicial history of Pakistan and India has such a thing happened […] Not even a patwari (revenue official) was stopped from work the way I was,” he remarked.
The judge sought an adjournment to be able to hire a lawyer for himself and acquire the complete case record, stating, “So little time has been given. I have to get a lawyer and prepare.”
On the other hand, petitioner Dawood requested the court to hear the case on a daily basis.
The court adjourned the hearing until December 18 (Thursday), summoning the KU registrar in person and seeking the record of Justice Jahangiri’s degree.
Separately, Chairman National Industrial Relations Commission (NIRC) Justice (retd) Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui on Monday resigned from his post and sent his resignation to the President.
Justice Saddiqui said in his resignation that he cannot continue his services due to personal reasons. He also sent a notice of termination of the contract through the Secretary of the Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis, stating that the notification of appointment of the signatory as Chairman NIRC was issued on December 2, 2024.