Imran Khan to Run for Oxford Chancellor Despite Imprisonment

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Imran Khan, leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), plans to apply for the position of Chancellor at Oxford University (OX) despite being imprisoned on corruption and violence charges related to last year’s May 9 protests.

Sayed Zulfi Bukhari, Khan’s adviser on international affairs, informed Geo News that Khan will seek the position left vacant by Lord Patten’s resignation after 21 years. Former Prime Ministers Sir Tony Blair and Boris Johnson are also contenders.

Khan, an alumnus of Keble College, Oxford, where he studied Economics and Politics and captained the cricket team, previously served as Chancellor of Bradford University from 2005 to 2014.

Bukhari mentioned public demand for Khan’s candidacy, stating, “We will announce it publicly once we get approval from Khan and begin the signature campaign. He’s the most suited person for this role, and we hope he will win.”

Oxford University describes the Chancellor’s role as a ceremonial head, typically an eminent public figure elected for life, overseeing major ceremonies. The election will be conducted online for the first time, allowing the university’s 350,000 convocation members to participate.

Khan is currently imprisoned on charges of inciting protests and violence against the military, which he denies. In a recent interview from jail, he remarked, “I am confined in a 7ft by 8ft death cell, typically reserved for terrorists. People voted for me because they are fed up with the current system and how Pakistan is being run.”

The Chancellor election, to be held online for the first time, traditionally involves university graduates, often politicians. Khan’s competitors include Sir Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, but Bukhari remains hopeful about Khan’s victory.

Since Khan’s imprisonment in August 2023, the UN has criticized his detention as baseless, with many of his supporters arrested and the government indicating plans to ban PTI.

Khan’s candidacy was announced by Bukhari and Lord Hannan at an event in the House of Lords, where nearly two dozen UK Parliament members demanded his immediate release.

This demand was reiterated at a recent hearing in the House of Lords Committee Room, addressing the erosion of democratic norms in Pakistan and Khan’s “illegal incarceration.” The hearing, organized by Labour MP Naz Shah and Conservative Peer Lord Hannan, featured speakers like Bukhari, PTI leader Meher Bano Qureshi, and Sarwar Bari, founder of Pattan Development.

The hearing was attended by over 22 parliamentarians from various parties, including Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP, Priti Patel MP, Baroness Neville-Jones, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, and Baroness Warsi. Newly elected independent MPs Shockat Adam, Barrister Ayoub Khan, Iqbal Mohammad, and Labour’s Naushabah Khan were also present, alongside PTI UK leader Jahanzeb Khan and four other office bearers.