Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has presented his candidature for the post of Chancellor of Oxford University. Imran, who has been in jail for more than a year, will take part in the Oxford elections in October. What does his application mean for Imran and Pakistani politics? Is this just an attempt to attract the attention of the world or some signal being given by Imran to Pakistan’s powerful army?
Imran Khan, who is alone in jail, is doing more than just staring at the prison walls these days. He has applied to become the Chancellor of Oxford University. Imran Khan, who has been in jail for a year, taking the surprising step of contesting for Oxford’s top post may be an attempt to attract the world’s attention. Meanwhile, his party is organizing rallies in Pakistan on the completion of one year of his imprisonment. Is this a signal to Pakistan’s powerful army that Imran Khan has broken ties with Pakistani politics and after cricket and politics, he is now interested in his third career.
Imran’s advisor Syed Zulfi Bukhari has said that he has applied to participate in the elections to be held in October. He has made this application at a time when the elections and nominations for the post of Chancellor have become online.
Let us tell you that if the former Pakistani Prime Minister is successful, he will replace former Conservative minister Chris Patten. Patten is the Chancellor of Oxford University, who announced in February that he is resigning from his post.
Also read: How is the Chancellor of Oxford University chosen, whose election will be contested by former Pakistan PM Imran Khan
Imran’s journey in Pakistani politics began with the promise of a “New Pakistan”. Now he is serving his life in jail and many charges have been leveled against him. However, his supporters say that all this is part of a political conspiracy.
Imran Khan: Chancellor of Oxford University!
Imran’s advisor Bukhari told news agency AFP that the post of Chancellor is ceremonial, but it is of great prestige and importance and Imran Khan is one of the big and popular names coming out of Oxford, it would be great to see him as Chancellor.
But going to this prestigious British university can also prove to be a distance for Imran Khan from Pakistani politics.
If Imran Khan becomes the Chancellor, will he say goodbye to Pakistan’s politics? Will this step prove to be his safe exit plan from Pakistan’s politics? Let us tell you that Imran is currently facing many serious allegations in Pakistan, and in the current situation, there are very less chances of him being acquitted from these cases. In such a situation, if Imran wants, he can become the Chancellor of a prestigious university like Oxford under a safe exit plan by making a deal with the Government of Pakistan. However, the first condition for this is that he wins the election for the post of Chancellor.
By applying for the post of Chancellor, Imran has indicated to the Pakistan Army that he wants to move on from the period when he had a serious rift with the Pakistan Army as PM.
Also read: If power is not gained in Pakistan, then now there is a plan to contest elections abroad, know what jailed Imran Khan wants
It is noteworthy that when Imran Khan was a cricket star, his lifestyle was like that of a playboy and he regularly became the topic of British gossip magazines.
Later he turned to social work and politics and was the Prime Minister of Pakistan from 2018 to 2022. But when the situation in Pakistan changed, he had to go to jail and his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has been banned by the current government of Pakistan. And he has been in jail for the last one year. Imran Khan has termed all the allegations against him as a conspiracy.
Let us tell you that the post of Chancellor is not new for Imran. Imran has been the Chancellor of Bradford University for eight years from 2005 to 2014.
Will Imran Khan be successful in Britain?
Imran Khan is a graduate from Oxford, where he studied politics, philosophy and economics at Keble College in Oxford in the 1970s. He earned an honours degree for the university’s cricket team. Let us tell you that graduates of Oxford University and alumni who have become politicians are given the opportunity to contest for the post of Chancellor. Imran fulfills this eligibility.
Imran’s advisor Bukhari said, “If he becomes Chancellor, he will be the first person of Asian origin. This will be a big achievement not only for Pakistan but for the whole of Asia and the rest of the world.”
Voting for the post of Chancellor will be held on October 28. But only Oxford graduates and members of the University will be able to vote in it.
Who is Imran competing with for the post of Chancellor?
As far as his chances of winning are concerned, his opponents in this election are strong. He is going to face former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Boris Johnson. It is not going to be easy for Imran Khan. It will be interesting to see what happens if he wins. Will this be a way out of Pakistan’s turbulent politics for him, and will he prefer to leave his millions of supporters and choose a new option for his career?
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)