Pakistan's imprisoned former prime minister, Imran Khan, is pursuing Oxford University's chancellor position as graduates and staff get ready to vote later this year.  

Khan's advisor, Seyyed Zulfi Bukhari, revealed that the politician and former international cricket star submitted an application to run for the elections, due October, to replace the current chancellor and the United Kingdom's former Conservative minister of state, Chris Patten, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Although Khan has been incarcerated for the past year on a series of charges after being ousted from office in an army-backed no-confidence vote, the leader of the Tehreek-e-Insaf (Movement for Justice) party was Pakistan's prime minister from 2018 until 2022. 

Alongside his political expertise, Khan's qualifications include being the Bradford University Chancellor for eight years, and studying politics, philosophy, and economics at Oxford's Kebble College, where he obtained honors for the university's cricket team. He is also Pakistan's 1992 cricket World Cup winner.

The elections had been traditionally extremely ceremonial, but new rules allowing online nominations and votes were intorduced this year, easing Khan's candidacy. Oxford stated that it would not confirm any individual candidates until the final list is released in early October as nominations closed on Sunday. 

Voting will take place online starting from October 28. Only Oxford graduates and members of the university’s congregation, including academic staff, are eligible to vote.

While the chancellor’s position is non-executive, they preside over the committee that selects the vice-chancellor and play a role in fundraising, advocacy, and oversight.

Imran Khan re-arrested shortly after court nullified 7-year sentence

In July, a Pakistani court nullified the convictions and seven-year prison sentences of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife, suggesting that he might be released after almost a year in prison.

This decision led to Khan's supporters gathering near the Rawalpindi prison where he was held, expecting his imminent release.

However, despite the court's ruling, he was swiftly re-arrested due to his alleged involvement in riots from the previous year. Additionally, his political party indicated that his wife, Bushra Bibi, might also face re-arrest related to an ongoing corruption investigation. 

Authorities have registered over 150 cases against him, including charges of inciting violence, and his troubles only intensified after his arrest in May 2023.

Earlier, the United Nations human rights working group called for his immediate release, declaring that his detention was “arbitrarily in violation of international laws.”

Read more: Imran Khan stands firm: No alliances amid post-election deadlock