Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has submitted an application to run for the position of Chancellor at the University of Oxford from prison, according to his close aide Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, who confirmed this on Sunday.
Khan, who served as Pakistan’s Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022, has been in jail since August 2023 due to numerous legal cases—a common issue for opposition figures in the country.
Although the convictions against Khan related to the February 8 parliamentary election have been suspended or overturned, he remains imprisoned on new charges.
On Saturday, Bukhari confirmed that Khan intends to contest the upcoming election for the Chancellor of Oxford University.
“Following Imran Khan’s instructions, his application for the Oxford University Chancellor Election 2024 has been submitted,” Bukhari announced on the social media platform X. “We look forward to everyone’s support for a historic campaign.”
The Chancellor of Oxford University is elected by members of Convocation, which includes all university alumni who have received a degree. To qualify for the position, a candidate must be nominated by at least two members of Convocation.
Typically, the election process is open to distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to public life, academia, or other fields. The Chancellor’s role, while largely ceremonial, is a highly prestigious position within the university.
The election will take place online in the third week of the Michaelmas term, starting on October 28.
Khan, who completed his degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford in 1975, is expected to draw international attention to his incarceration in Pakistan through his decision to run for this prestigious position.
