Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has applied to run for the position of Chancellor at the University of Oxford, despite being in jail. Khan, who has been imprisoned since August 2023 on charges he claims are politically motivated, completed his degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Oxford in 1975.
Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, a close aide of Khan, confirmed the development on social media platform X, stating that Khan’s application for the Oxford University Chancellor Election 2024 has been submitted from prison. Bukhari called for support for Khan’s “historic campaign,” underscoring the former prime minister’s continued influence and ambitions even while incarcerated.
Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister from 2018 to 2022, faces a complex legal situation in his home country. Despite previous convictions being suspended or overturned, he remains in custody on new charges.
The Chancellor of Oxford University is elected by members of Convocation, which includes all alumni who have been awarded a degree. To qualify, candidates must be nominated by at least two Convocation members. The role is largely ceremonial but holds significant prestige within the university.
The election for the new Chancellor will take place online during the third week of Michaelmas term, starting October 28. Khan’s candidacy is expected to draw considerable international attention to his ongoing legal battles and incarceration in Pakistan.
