Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan will campaign for the position of Chancellor at Oxford University while serving his prison sentence in Pakistan.
Despite his ten-year prison sentence, the prominent politician and cricket star intends to pursue the role of Chancellor at Oxford University. The position became vacant following the resignation of Lord Patten, who had served as chancellor for 21 years.
Oxford University defines the chancellor as the ceremonial head of the institution, usually a distinguished public figure elected for life, who oversees major ceremonies.
The election of a new chancellor, conducted by the University’s convocation of around 350,000 members, will be held online for the first time.
Imran Khan studied Economics and Politics at Keble College, Oxford, beginning in 1972, and also captained the university’s cricket team. He made his Test debut for Pakistan in 1971. In 2005, Khan was appointed Chancellor of Bradford University, a position he held until 2014.
“Imran Khan will contest for the chancellorship of Oxford University as there is a public demand that he should contest,” said Syed Zulfi Bukhari, Khan’s advisor on international media, to The Telegraph. “We will announce it publicly once we get a go-ahead from Khan and start the signature campaign for it.”
Khan will face strong competition for the position from former prime ministers Sir Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, which may make his chances of winning slim.
A Pakistani court recently overturned the conviction and seven-year sentence of Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi regarding the legality of their 2018 marriage. Despite this, new legal cases were filed to prevent Khan’s release.
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Of course, he is more than suitable for the post. Being the most prolific man in the world. He has inspired hundreds of millions of people. Apart from his political standing, he remains the most sought-after intellectual in this era.