Imran Khan, the former Pakistani prime minister and cricket star, will campaign for the position of chancellor at Oxford University from his prison cell, according to The Telegraph. Khan, who is currently serving a 10-year sentence, will participate in the online ballot for the prestigious role.
The chancellorship position at Oxford University became vacant following the resignation of Lord Patten, an 80-year-old former governor of Hong Kong and Tory Party chairman, who held the position for 21 years.
For the first time, the election for Oxford’s chancellor will be conducted online, a shift from the traditional process where graduates had to participate in full academic dress. The role typically goes to a university graduate, often a politician.
Khan, who is imprisoned over allegations related to inciting protests and violence against the military on May 9 last year—a charge he denies—made his Test cricket debut for Pakistan in 1971. He studied Economics and Politics at Keble College, Oxford in 1972 and captained the university’s cricket team.
In 2005, Khan was appointed as the chancellor of Bradford University, a role he held until 2014.
Syed Zulfi Bukhari, Khan’s advisor on international media, told The Telegraph, “We will announce it publicly once we get a go-ahead from Khan and start the signature campaign for it.”