Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan applies to become Oxford University chancellor from jail

Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has applied to become the next chancellor of Britain's Oxford University, his party said on Monday.

The Oxford alumnus "formally submitted" the request via Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari, the London-based spokesman for Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party said on the social media platform X.

"Pakistan's national hero and Former Prime Minister Imran Khan, founder and chairman of Pakistan's biggest political party PTI, a cricketing legend, a philanthropist and an alumnus of Oxford University, is running for the position of Chancellor of Oxford University, all while being imprisoned," the PTI post read.

"Despite being unlawfully incarcerated for over a year, Khan remains committed to his principles and the causes he champions. Zulfi Bukhari has confirmed that the application has been formally submitted," it added.

Khan's party's announcement comes after Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, announced in February that he would be stepping down as Oxford chancellor, Al Jazeera reported.

However, the list of candidates for the 10-year term will not be made public until October, according to the university's website, and voting is to take place at the end of that month.

Khan graduated from the university in 1975 after studying philosophy, politics, and economics.

He then reportedly led a playboy lifestyle during his career as one of Pakistan's greatest cricket players, regularly gracing the pages of Britain's gossip magazines, according to Al Jazeera.

The former Pakistan premier married three times in his life, including to British socialite and filmmaker Jemima Goldsmith. He also served as the chancellor of the University of Bradford from 2005 until 2014. Khan later turned to philanthropy and politics, serving as Pakistan's prime minister from 2018 to 2022.

Khan was ousted from premiership in 2022 when he lost a vote of confidence, following which he launched a strong comeback campaign attacking Pakistan's military, whose leading generals had once backed him, and drew massive crowds onto the nation's streets.

Khan was imprisoned in August last year on various charges from corruption to inciting violence. He recently completely one year in jail.

The PTI founder has called these charges "politically motivated" and designed to keep him from power, Al Jazeera reported. (