From the audacious captain who delivered World Cup glory to an injury-struck Pakistan cricket team, to an ambitious philanthropist who defied all odds to found Pakistan’s first cancer hospital which provides free treatment to the impoverished, to a revolutionary who has rattled a deeply oppressive and corrupt political establishment – Imran Khan epitomises Oxford’s value proposition perfectly, to develop the finest leaders capable of driving transformative change in the world.
On Sunday, the 18th of August – Imran Khan confirmed his decision to contest the forthcoming Chancellor Elections in Oxford, attracting significant international attention to the process for the first time. This is largely attributable to his illegal incarceration on the basis of sham cases, deprived of an open trial – a travesty of justice. His predicament has triggered a wave of sympathy globally, as one of Oxford’s most esteemed alumni remains confined to a suffocating “death cell” in solitary isolation, has been refused the right to speak to his sons, and was allegedly denied medical treatment earlier this year. His plight not only defies Pakistan’s constitution, but also reveals a lamentable crisis of moral conscience in the country.
Whilst the nation dwindles amidst a poly-crisis, an alliance between the military establishment and political parties led by the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN), appears hellbent on quashing Imran Khan and his movement. Protestors in his favour have been subject to intense police brutality, including the incarceration of over 10,000 political prisoners, with many party leaders hounded out of the party under the apparent threat of inhumane torture. Not to mention the reported intimidation of the judiciary and journalists through the weaponisation of state institutions, and the incessant violations of the constitution emerging as a result. In spite of “the most rigged elections in Pakistan’s history”, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf remarkably emerged as the largest party this year, a testament to his sheer popularity. As such, what could be a more spirited celebration of Oxford’s democratic values, than the election of Imran Khan?
Khan has attracted the endorsements of several MPs and Lord Daniel Hannan, as well as an open letter signed by close to 200 current students, alumni, and staff welcoming Khan’s candidacy, and demanding that he be allowed to contest. Yet Khan has been met by attacks from a frustrated Pakistani regime, with government ministers sparing no effort to attack his campaign. Such sabotage attempts are not unprecedented for Imran Khan, given the use of state means in the past to impede fundraising for Imran Khan’s cancer hospital.
It has been alleged by political workers loyal to the PMLN that Imran Khan’s imprisonment justifies his disqualification from the Chancellor race, a categorically false claim given that his sentences have all been overturned or suspended. Both the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and Amnesty International verify this through their unequivocal statements, calling for his immediate release, and indeed Imran Khan himself has stated that he expects to be released ‘in the near future’.
Imran Khan’s candidacy has also received a critical response from fringe sections of the media seeking to cast aspersions on his character. Notably, the claim that he sympathises with the Taliban appears to be a misinterpretation of his unwavering opposition to the War on Terror and his principled stance against military solutions, which have resulted in the death of countless innocent civilians. Rather, in his tenure there was a marked global decline in terrorism, effectively disproving such speculations. It is interesting to note that many of Imran Khan’s political rivals also claim that he is propped up by the Israeli government, a contradiction which speaks to the illogical nature of these allegations. Indeed, Imran Khan’s conception of a compassionate welfare state, with justice and rule of law as the cornerstone of governance, is in fact a manifestation of the quintessential Islamic values which he champions, and a profoundly inspiring representation of the religion of Islam in a world where bigotry and intolerance appear to be growing.
Similarly unfortunate is the misrepresentation of Imran Khan as a misogynist. As Prime Minister, he proved to be a champion of women’s participation in governance; Khan’s flagship Ehsaas poverty programme was chaired by Dr Sania Nishtar, an internationally acclaimed public health expert. Regrettably, those labelling Imran Khan in such terms had little to say about the brutal treatment of female political workers, boldly struggling for the realisation of his political vision. Are they not appalled by the political imprisonment of the likes of cancer survivor Dr Yasmin Rashid and Sanam Javed for over a year, or the accounts of physical assault upon female protestors by police, violently dragged out of their homes at midnight?
“You only lose when you give up. If you do not give up, you will win from the most incredible of positions. The fight is in the mind!”
Imran Khan spoke these inspiring words in the Oxford Union chambers at a time in which it was inconceivable that he would shatter the prevalent two-party system in Pakistan. Inspired by political visionary and poet Allama Iqbal, he speaks to the need for Oxford students to rise like ‘Iqbal’s Shaheen’ (eagle), breaking the chains of self-doubt, and ultimately use our privilege to benefit humanity. A reflection upon Imran Khan’s illustrious career would reveal that these are not merely shallow words of wisdom; he embodies these ideals.
Needless to say, the Chancellor of Oxford must be a source of inspiration for the student body, and exhibit a genuine passion for education. With his mother, Shaukat Khanum, having passed away from cancer, Imran Khan was astounded by the glaring disparities in global healthcare opportunities, and resolved to establish Pakistan’s first Cancer hospital to provide free treatment to those in poverty. The two Shaukat Khanum hospitals continue to treat over 70% of patients free of charge, at an internationally-acclaimed standard of care. This is a remarkable feat, and speaks to Khan’s unparalleled ability to surmount the most extreme of hindrances to execute his vision. He has also founded Namal University, in which over 90% of students are from underprivileged backgrounds and empowered with the gift of education – one would be hard pressed to find a candidate with his achievements in reducing educational inequality. Not to mention his role as Chancellor of Bradford University, in which he was described as having played a ‘critical and important role’ by the Vice Chancellor.
Given Oxford’s track-record for producing global leaders, the Chancellor should inspire the students of Oxford to impart meaningful social impact as potential leaders in the fields of politics, business, philanthropy and beyond. As Prime Minister, Imran Khan’s handling of the pandemic was lauded widely, with the nation’s response ranked third in a review published in the Economist, an incredible accomplishment considering Pakistan’s notoriously underdeveloped and corrupt bureaucracy. In a similar vein, Khan’s Ehsaas programme was acclaimed by world-leading academics from Stanford University for its innovative approach to tackling poverty. Even more remarkable, is his implementation of a visionary approach to combating climate change, through the Billion Tree Tsunami initiative, in which over a billion trees were successfully planted. In a world confronted by a plethora of complex challenges, the world looks to Oxford to provide leadership – and Imran Khan would be the ideal candidate to reaffirm Oxford’s commitment to social impact.
Imran Khan’s candidacy is truly unrivalled in its ability to unite those from all walks of life across generational, ideological and cultural divides – in an extraordinary career dedicated to serving humanity. As a symbol for unwavering ambition and determination in his struggle for justice and rule of law, he remains undoubtedly the candidate to beat in these historic elections.