By Asif Naveed
ISLAMABAD: Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri will remain barred from performing judicial duties at the Islamabad High Court (IHC), in compliance with an earlier order, until the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) decides on the complaints pending against him.
The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing of a petition challenging the appointment of Justice Tariq Mahmood Jahangiri, observing that the issue is already under review by the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC).
A two-member division bench, headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and comprising Justice Muhammad Azam Khan, ruled that the case will remain pending in the IHC until the SJC delivers its verdict. The bench noted that a key legal question before the court is whether a matter under consideration by the SJC can simultaneously be taken up by the High Court.
Justice Jahangiri, appointed to the IHC in December 2020, has been stopped from performing judicial work after the SJC initiated proceedings against him over alleged irregularities in his appointment.
During the hearing, the court appointed senior lawyers Barrister Zafarullah Khan and Ashtar Ausaf Ali as amici curiae (judicial assistants) and also sought guidance from the Attorney General on whether the petition is maintainable given the Council’s exclusive jurisdiction.
The petition was filed by Advocate Mian Dawood, who argued that Jahangiri’s appointment contravened constitutional provisions and compromised the principles of judicial independence.
After considering the arguments, the court adjourned proceedings and issued a written order, clarifying that the matter will not proceed further until the SJC concludes its inquiry.
