Imran's bid for Oxford chancellor highlights his dilemma – Pakistan

LONDON: For jailed former prime minister Imran Khan, who formally applied ten days ago for the post of chancellor's ambassador at Oxford University, half the battle is already won.

Amid a severe crackdown on Mr Khan and his loyalists in Pakistan, and with his views heavily censored or obscured by broadcast media, the opportunity provided a platform to refocus attention on the plight of the PTI founders.

Since Mr Khan confirmed his intention to run for chancellor, dozens of international media outlets have published articles about his decision. Articles in The Guardian, Times, BBC, Telegraph and several other major British newspapers have reported on Mr Khan’s candidacy, also detailing his allegations regarding the false accusations against him.

Middle East Eye columnist Peter Oborne even wrote a column titled Why Imran Khan should become the next chancellor of Oxford University, in which he argued that Mr Khan's appointment could send a powerful message to the world about the UK's values.

It is no surprise that Mr Khan has received such extensive coverage in the British press; Mr Khan was a household name here long before he launched his political career, and he has many friends in the UK from his cricketing days here, at university and during his marriage to Jemima Goldsmith.

The former prime minister has little chance of winning a symbolic post, but his victory is in the media spotlight

Since his imprisonment, PTI representatives abroad, including Sayed Zulfiqar Bukhari, have made repeated efforts to capitalise on Mr Khan's goodwill in British society, in a bid to raise awareness of the alleged injustices the party faces, particularly among British politicians and journalists.

It was Conservative peer Lord Daniel Hannan who proposed that Imran Khan's name be put forward in the race for the chancellorship of Oxford University, as part of an effort to internationalise his ongoing struggles.

It does not speak well for the state of Pakistani politics that @ImranKhanPTI, who has been languishing in jail for over a year on trumped-up charges, can more easily contest an election here than there, Lord Hannan tweeted.

Mr Bukhari told Dawn that Lord Hannan's suggestion was conveyed to Mr Khan, who agreed to run. The intrigue and positive response from the international media has been overwhelming, Mr Bukhari said. I am having a hard time keeping up with the media interest in this election.

Back home, many are pontificating about his chances of victory. PML-N figures are making pointed remarks suggesting that Mr Khan would focus on his own problems rather than a university election abroad. Journalists are wondering whether his former position as chancellor of Bradford University might improve his chances, although Mr Khan has been criticised for neglecting his duties.

What few people know is that anyone can apply a fact demonstrated by the application of fake professor Onyeka Nwelue, a Nigerian writer, whose visiting academic status at Oxford University was revoked after he abused the university. It is also unclear whether a non-British person can be considered as a candidate, said Sky News' Adam Boulton.

Imrans' addition livened up elections

The buzz has caught many people by surprise. Adeel Malik, an associate professor at Oxford, describes the prestigious university’s reaction. These are usually very low-key elections, Malik tells Dawn. This time, the university is discovering that Pakistani politics is being played out here in Oxford and that Pakistani citizens are very tense.

It is being talked about everywhere at the university. I have never seen, in 20 years at Oxford, a chancellor election that has attracted so much media coverage. For the first time, the university administration is feeling the impact of what was once a dormant internal election. It is now an international election, no longer confined to British circles, and it is animating the whole process.

He added that Imran is an Oxford icon, like Benazir Bhutto, and has links to the university having studied there and spoken at the Union. He has also achieved cricketing exploits for the university and, at Worcester College, won one of the few trophies awarded to anyone.

But historically, if you look at the chancellorship, it has generally been filled by British establishment figures, Mr. Malik said. For example, Lord Curzon and Oliver Cromwell were chancellors, he said, and Chris Patten, the one who just resigned, was the last British governor of Hong Kong. Other candidates currently in the running, such as Peter Mandelson and William Hague, are either left-wing Labour or right-wing Conservatives, but they are largely establishment figures.

The upcoming election for the Chancellor of the University of Oxford will mark the first time in history that the process will be conducted entirely online. Oxford graduates, members of its congregation (around 5,000 academics and faculty) and retired staff will be able to vote.

Traditionally, the chancellorship is a lifetime position, but it is limited to a 10-year term. The election, scheduled for around October 28, will be conducted using the alternative vote system, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If there are fewer than 10 candidates, the election will be conducted in a single round, with lower-ranking candidates eliminated until one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. If 10 or more candidates are running, a second round of voting will be held. Eligible voters, including alumni, congregation members and some retired staff members, must register in advance.

If Pakistani alumni can coordinate and register as alumni, they will make a lot of noise, Mr Malik said. But I think the PTI is not necessarily interested in winning; it wants to make this an issue, and it has succeeded in doing so.

The race for chancellor has attracted several high-profile candidates. Among them are former British political leaders William Hague and Peter Mandelson, both of whom have publicly expressed interest in the job. In addition, Lady Elish Angiolini, a prominent lawyer and current principal of St Hughs College, Oxford, is a candidate. Her election would make her the first female chancellor in the university’s 800-year-old history.

Given that Imran is firmly outside the British establishment and will not be able to devote time to university due to his political commitments (despite his imprisonment), it seems that his chances of winning are slim. It may be far-fetched but unless the British government is willing to get him out of Pakistan or is involved in a political resolution of his problem, his chances of winning are slim, Mr Malik said.

Published in Dawn, August 31, 2024

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