Imran Khan, the former cricketer and Ex prime minister of Pakistan, is running for the historic position of Chancellor of Oxford University from behind bars. This unexpected bid comes as Lord Patten, the current chancellor, is set to step down in February. Khan has garnered support from several British politicians, including Tory peer Lord Daniel Hannan and independent MPs Shockat Adam and Adnan Hussain.
Khan, who served as Pakistan’s prime minister, was ousted from office in 2022 through a no-confidence vote that his supporters claim was politically motivated. Since then, he has faced numerous charges, including corruption and breaches of Pakistan’s Official Secrets Act. Despite these legal challenges, Khan is pursuing the “prestigious role” from his prison cell, as reported by Middle East Eye.
He faces stiff competition from prominent figures, including British political veterans Peter Mandelson and William Hague, Oxford’s Pro Vice Chancellor Lady Elish Angiolini, and an east London bartender, Ryan Ahmad.
The Chancellor of the University of Oxford is a position that dates back to 1224 and is largely ceremonial, according to the BBC. Notable former chancellors include Oliver Cromwell, the Duke of Wellington, and former prime minister Harold Macmillan. If Lady Elish wins, she would be the first woman to hold the position, whereas Hague would be the 36th chancellor named William, according to The Economist.
This election will be marked by several firsts. The chancellor will now serve a 10-year term rather than holding the position for life, and voting will be conducted online by a convocation of Oxford students, staff, and graduates. A proposed rule allowing the university’s Election Committee to disqualify unsuitable candidates was scrapped following criticisms of anti-democratic practices.
Initial voting is scheduled for the week starting October 28 and will use the Alternative Vote system, allowing voters to rank candidates by preference. If there are fewer than 10 candidates, only one round of voting will occur; otherwise, a second round will take place in November.
Imran Khan, an Oxford alumnus who studied politics, philosophy, and economics at Keble College in the 1970s, has a strong connection to the university, including an eight-year stint as chancellor of the University of Bradford. Despite his imprisonment, his ties to Oxford and his past leadership experience could work in his favor.
“He is someone who has consistently stood for justice, integrity, and freedom,” said Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, Khan’s former special assistant, now his aide. According to Bukhari, these values reflect both Oxford’s ideals and the principles Khan embraced during his time there. Bukhari added that Khan’s election could signal to the Pakistani government and the world that he remains a respected figure despite his incarceration.
Peter Mandelson, another Oxford graduate from St Catherine’s College, has also thrown his hat into the ring. Speaking to the university’s student newspaper, Cherwell, Mandelson criticized the previous Conservative government’s handling of university funding and pledged to use his connections within the new Labour government to advocate for Oxford and higher education.
Lord Hague confirmed his candidacy to The Telegraph, positioning himself as the likely main Conservative contender after former prime minister Theresa May opted not to run. Dominic Grieve, former MP for Beaconsfield and ex-Attorney General, also recently announced his candidacy, recalling his own student days at Oxford’s Magdalen College in the 1970s.
This election promises to be closely watched, with high-profile candidates and significant changes to the traditional selection process making it a historic race for one of the oldest positions in academia.