Jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has applied to become the next Chancellor of Britain’s Oxford University, his party has informed this through social media platform. Pakistan’s national hero and former prime minister, founder and president of Pakistan’s largest political party PTI, a cricket legend, Imran Khan is an alumnus of Oxford University. He has joined the race for the post of Chancellor of Oxford University even while in jail. Imran’s party PTI said in a post that despite being illegally imprisoned for more than a year, Khan remains committed to his principles and the issues he advocates. Zulfi Bukhari has confirmed that the application has been formally submitted. Oxford has not released the final list but according to some reports, former British Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Theresa May and Boris Johnson are also going to contest the election.
Khan’s party announcement comes after Hong Kong’s last British governor, Chris Patten, announced in February that he would step down as Oxford chancellor, Al Jazeera reports. However, according to the university’s website, the list of candidates for the 10-year term will not be made public until October, and voting is scheduled for later that month. Khan graduated from the university in 1975 after studying philosophy, politics and economics. He reportedly led a “playboy” lifestyle during his career as one of Pakistan’s greatest cricketers, and regularly graced the pages of Britain’s gossip magazines, according to Al Jazeera. The former Pakistan prime minister married three times in his life, including to British socialite and film producer Jemima Goldsmith. He also served as chancellor of the University of Bradford from 2005 to 2014.
Khan later turned to philanthropy and politics, serving as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022. Khan was ousted as prime minister in 2022 when he lost a confidence vote, after which he launched a strong comeback campaign, attacking Pakistan’s military, whose leading generals once supported him and drawing massive crowds onto the country’s streets.
Imran Khan – The man who has always brought honor and pride to Pakistan!#FreeImranKhan pic.twitter.com/Sm9xJg1Tro
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 19, 2024
