ISLAMABAD (WSN) — Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently imprisoned on various charges, has applied for the position of Chancellor at the University of Oxford, according to PTI.
Imran Khan is marking a year in prison, facing allegations ranging from corruption to inciting violence. He contends these charges are politically motivated attempts to prevent him from returning to power.
Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a PTI spokesperson based in London, told AFP that Khan had expressed his desire to apply for the position and that the application is now under review.
Bukhari highlighted that while the chancellor role is largely ceremonial, it carries significant prestige. Given Khan’s prominence as an Oxford graduate, his appointment would be a notable achievement, he added.
Conservative peer Chris Patten, the previous Oxford Chancellor and former British governor of Hong Kong, announced his resignation from the role in February. The university plans to release the list of candidates for the 10-year term in October, with voting scheduled for the end of the month.
Imran Khan, an Oxford graduate from 1975 with a background in philosophy, politics, and economics, previously held a high-profile lifestyle as a cricketer and later as a philanthropist and politician. His career included three marriages, notably to British socialite and filmmaker Jemima Goldsmith.
Khan was removed from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote and has since been actively campaigning, drawing large crowds and criticizing the military leadership that had once supported him.
Bukhari noted that if Khan were elected Chancellor, he would be the first individual of Asian descent to hold the position, marking a significant achievement for both Pakistan and the broader Asian community.
Other notable applicants and Oxford alumni include former UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and former EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson. The Telegraph mentioned that Imran Khan had previously served as Chancellor of Bradford University from 2005 to 2014 but suggested his chances at Oxford might be diminished due to competition from high-profile candidates like former UK Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Boris Johnson.
