ISLAMABAD: In a significant judicial development, President Asif Ali Zardari has formally approved the de-notification of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri as a judge of the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The action, taken on the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, follows a landmark verdict by the IHC itself and is described as being in strict compliance with the Constitution and the law.
The move brings to a close a protracted legal and administrative process concerning Justice Jahangiri’s tenure. The Islamabad High Court, in a recent ruling, had addressed questions surrounding the judge’s status, ultimately leading to the verdict which necessitated this formal de-notification at the executive level.
A brief official announcement from the President’s Secretariat confirmed the decision, underscoring that the President acted upon the summary sent by the Prime Minister. The statement emphasized that the step was taken to uphold the rule of law and respect the judiciary’s own determinations, ensuring that constitutional procedures were meticulously followed.
Legal experts view this as a notable instance of institutional adherence, where the executive branch has acted to implement a judicial order seamlessly. The de-notification effectively ends Justice Jahangiri’s official role on the bench of the Islamabad High Court.
The development is expected to have immediate implications for the composition of the IHC bench and its case management. It also reinforces the procedural chain of command in judicial appointments and removals, highlighting the roles of the superior judiciary, the prime minister’s advice, and the president’s final approval as mandated by the Constitution. No immediate statement has been issued by Justice Jahangiri regarding the presidential order.
Meanwhile the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has announced its ruling in the law degree case of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri.
The two members bench, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Sarfraz Dogar, declared that Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri’s law degree from the University of Karachi is a fake and ordered to remove him from his position as judge of the Islamabad High Court.
The Court also declared his appointment as judge of the IHC illegal and ordered law ministry to de-notify him from his position.
