A sitting judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) was removed from office after the court ruled that he was appointed as a ‘graduate of law’ through a fake law degree. In a 116-page judgment issued on February 23, 2026, the IHC ruled that the academic qualification of Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri was ‘void ab initio’ and therefore, his appointment had no legality.

A division bench of the Supreme Court removed Justice Jahangiri from the high court bench after looking into the original certificates of the universities he said he graduated from as well as other documents pertaining to his LL.B degree which it found sus. It said Jahangiri’s elevation to the high court was the product of “legal nullity”.

Justice Jahangiri served on the bench of Islamabad High Court for five years. 

Court Declares Appointment Invalid From Inception

A bench of two judges made the ruling based on the documents provided by the Karachi University registrar and other officials of the university. The court held that as the petitioner had produced the documents of the degree, it was the responsibility of Jahangiri to prove that the degree was genuine.

He failed to do so, surprise surprise? 

The bench held that the non-production of the original document by him was sufficient to raise an adverse inference. It said that a large number of petitions and applications moved by him throughout the proceedings were intended to cause unnecessary delay and to keep proceedings in a state of uncertainty.

Instead of responding to the evidence, the Commissioner chose to attack the methodology and tests used to obtain it. The court has now ruled on those attempts and decided to address the actual evidence in the record.

Fraud, Impersonation And Disciplinary Ban

The court examined events dating back to 1988.

The Sindh High Court on Tuesday directed Oxford University to disclose whether Jahangiri had studied law there and also directed to submit a copy of the formal disqualification circular it issued against him in 1989. Jahangiri had appeared in his LL.B Part-I examinations in 1988 under a fake registration number and was caught while using unfair means.

The court ruled that Jahangiri “chose a course of deliberate misrepresentation” instead of accepting a penalty the university imposed on him.

In 1990 he had appeared for examinations under another name,  Tariq Jahangiri, and had taken the enrolment number of Imtiaz Ahmad. (Bhaiya to Ghajini ke first cousin nikle). 

The bench said the university awarded only one enrolment number to a student for each course. “It is highly improbable that two different numbers were awarded for the same degree,” the bench said.

The court observed that the Government Islamia Law College had stated in its response that Jahangiri “was never admitted” to the college.

He was subsequently stripped of his title after it was ruled that his qualifications were gained by “fraud, impersonation and a deliberate attempt to circumvent a disciplinary ban.”

The court then declared that his masters degree was not legitimate and therefore that his appointment was unlawful too. 

Five Years On The Bench

Justice Jahangiri was appointed as a judge of the Islamabad High Court in December 2020 and has been handling cases for the last five years. The IHC late on Tuesday issued him a Contempt of Court notice directing him to prove his educational qualification for holding the office of a High Court judge as it reportedly observed that there was a discrepancy in the degree he had submitted and his actual qualification.

The 116-page judgement was written by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan. The bench ruled that Justice Jahangiri was appointed as the high court judge “without lawful authority”.

The ruling effectively erased the legal foundation of his tenure. The petition being backed with solid documents and proofs, the bench shifted the burden of proof to Jahangiri. The bench told Jahangiri that he has been given many opportunities to bring the original documents as well as give a written reply, and he has done none of it.

The bench then drew an adverse inference and ruled accordingly.

Legal And Institutional Implications

This case presents a series of very important judicial vetting and academic verification issues.

The term ‘void ab initio’ is being thrown about in legal circles. Do you know ye kis bala ka naam hai? 

A void ab initio court order declares an event or appointment null and void from its inception. 

This is not an ordinary case of irregularity, as the court has chosen to use strong language, including the words “fraud”, “impersonation” and “misrepresentation”.

Internet Says: ‘Suits, But Make It Pakistani’

The Internet loves a meme! And a Pakistani meme is like sone pe suhaaga. 

The ruling has sparked quite a discussion on social media, with many relating it to TV series Suits. Oh man, the way the Suits people would die if they hear who they are being compared to.

Man, India is not for professionals also. 

Suits is an American legal and romance television series that premiered on 23 June 2011. The series focuses on Mike Ross (played by Patrick J. Adams), a college dropout, who graduates from Harvard Law School and presents himself as a real graduate, while being hired by Pearson Hardman, a large law firm in New York. (Jahangiri bhai, same same but different). 

Fans spotted the parallels immediately.

“Mike Ross reborn,” one user commented.

“Suits but Pakistani version,” another wrote.

Somebody else said “The judge didn’t study law, law studied him for five years.”

It’s kind of funny in retrospect. A fake law degree, a pretend courtroom and a couple years of faking his way through being a lawyer were all it took. And then it all came crashing down in a matter of minutes. 

In real life there is no soundtrack but if there were, the Suits one would suit one. Justice Jahangiri nu Suits suit karda, ok toodles!