Imran Khan, the former Pakistani Prime Minister, will run for Chancellor of Oxford University despite serving a jail sentence in Pakistan. This shows the popularity of Imran Khan worldwide and he can become the Vice Chancellor of his former university in which he studied.
Despite his ten-year prison term, the well-known politician and cricketer hopes to become Chancellor of Oxford University. Lord Patten, the chancellor for 21 years, resigned, leaving the seat vacant.
According to Oxford University, the chancellor is the institution’s ceremonial leader, often a famous public figure elected for life to oversee important events.
Also Read: Punjab to Convert Commerce Colleges into IT Colleges
For the first time, the University’s convocation of about 350,000 members will vote to elect a new chancellor online. Imran Khan began studying Economics and Politics at Keble College, Oxford, in 1972, when he also captained the university’s cricket team. In 1971, he made his test debut for Pakistan. Khan was named Chancellor of Bradford University in 2005, where he served until 2014.
“Imran Khan will run for chancellor of Oxford University because there is a public demand for him to do so,” said Syed Zulfi Bukhari, Khan’s international media adviser, 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 stiff opposition for the role from former Prime Ministers Sir Tony Blair and Boris Johnson, which might limit his prospects of victory.