LONDON: Amidst the largely glowing press reports PTI founder Imran Khan has received in the British press for his application to the chancellorship position at Oxford University, a column published in the Observer this weekend criticised the incarcerated former prime minister in a detailed article.

Columnist Catherine Bennett, who frequently writes on politics and culture, said Mr Khan’s controversial views and actions make him an unsuitable candidate for such a prestigious position, which would involve representing Oxford’s values globally.

Ms Bennett writes that Mr Khan once referred to Osama bin Laden as a “martyr” and praised the Taliban for “breaking the shackles of slavery”. Ms Bennett points out that Mr Khan has even excused the Taliban’s ban on women’s education and holds regressive views on rape, suggesting that women should avoid being a “temptation” because “not everyone has willpower.”

Observer column states his candidacy would be insult to women, against Oxford values

She further criticises Mr Khan’s apparent admiration for the Chinese Communist Party, particularly its treatment of Uyghur Muslims, which he once praised as an alternative model that outperforms Western democracies. This stance, she argues, aligns poorly with Oxford’s tradition of defending free speech and human rights.

The opinion piece also contrasts Mr Khan with another candidate for the chancellorship, Lady Elish Angiolini, who is presented as a more suitable choice. Ms Angiolini’s background as a lawyer, her efforts to make Oxford more accessible to poorer students, and her leadership in significant public inquiries are highlighted as making her a more fitting candidate.

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Referring to Ms Angiolini, Ms Bennett writes, “In short, it is hard to conceive of a person whose chancellorship would be less pleasing to the Taliban and its apologists. If only his supporters could say the same for Mr Khan.”

The article comes amidst a media blitz in the British press on Mr Khan’s application and his chances. Several British MPs, including Conservative peer Lord Daniel Hannan and independent MPs Shockat Adam and Adnan Hussain too endorsed Mr Khan for the position.

However, an associate professor at Oxford told Dawn last week that Mr Khan’s chances at winning are slim, and it is unlikely he will garner a large number of votes.

“But I suspect the PTI is not necessarily interested in winning; they want to make an issue out of this, and they have succeeded,” Adeel Malik said.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2024