Imran Khan the former prime minister and founder of PTI who is currently in jail, has applied to become the next chancellor of the famous University of Oxford in Britain, according to his party.
Khan who was prime minister from 2018 to 2022, has now spent a year in jail. He faces different charges, like corruption and inciting violence but he believes these are politically motivated to stop him from returning to power.
Imran Khan asked to send in his application, and now it will be reviewed, said Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, who speaks for Imran Khan’s party, PTI, and is based in London.
Even though it’s mostly a symbolic role, being chancellor is a highly respected and important position. Imran Khan, who is well known and popular as an Oxford graduate, would be great for the job, he said.
In February, Chris Patten, a Conservative peer and the last British governor of Hong Kong, announced he was leaving his position as Oxford’s chancellor.
The university’s website says that the list of candidates for the 10-year term won’t be shared until October, with voting happening at the end of that month.
Imran Khan graduated from Oxford in 1975, where he studied philosophy, politics, and economics.
During his cricket career, he was one of Pakistan’s best players and often appeared in British gossip magazines because of his glamorous lifestyle.
Khan has been married three times, including to British socialite and filmmaker Jemima Goldsmith. Later, he focused on charity work and politics.
While he was prime minister, he faced criticism from women’s rights groups for saying that Pakistan’s high rates of sexual violence were linked to the way women dress.
Khan was removed from office in 2022. After that, he started a comeback campaign, criticizing Pakistan’s powerful military, which had once supported him, and gathered large crowds on the streets.
If Imran Khan becomes the chancellor, he would be the first person of Asian descent to do so. This wouldn’t just be a big deal for Pakistan, but also for all of Asia and the rest of the world, Bukhari said.
According to British media, other well known candidates include former foreign secretary William Hague and former EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson, who are also Oxford alumni.
