Story update. Please see footnote at bottom.

 

Imran Khan will be approached by students from the University of Bradford to discuss his role as Chancellor.

The university’s Student Union debated last night on a motion which demanded the international cricketer-turned-politician step down due to a “neglect” of his duties to attend recent graduation ceremonies.

The union was due to vote on the motion last night, but decided it was too big a decision for the group to make on its own.

Union secretary Rich Cullen said: “One, it is affecting the life of someone. Two, it would affect a lot of students. Something like that is far too big a decision for a body of 30 students to make.”

Mr Cullen said the union would work with the student who lodged the motion, Mohsin Tanveer, and try to get in touch with Mr Khan “to see what the issues are” and to “get more facts about what is going on”.

The next stage would then see the motion go before the union’s annual general meeting on April 8.

Mr Khan, leader of the opposition party PTI in the Pakistani National Assembly, is the fifth Chancellor in the university’s history, having been appointed in 2005. It is believed he last attended a graduation in Bradford in 2010.

 

Footnote:  University of Bradford Chancellor Imran Khan will NOT face an immediate grilling from students after the secretary of the students’ union admitted an error.

Rich Cullen had told the Telegraph & Argus that at a meeting of the student council on Monday evening, a decision was made to quiz Mr Khan on his role as university chancellor.

The meeting was held in response to a motion which demanded the international cricketer-turned-politician step down due to a “neglect” of his duties to attend recent graduation ceremonies.


Mr Cullen originally said the union would work with the student who lodged the motion, then get in touch with Mr Khan, before bringing the issue back before the union’s annual general meeting on April 8.

But now, Mr Cullen has admitted he got it wrong. He said: “I had misinterpreted the outcome of the motion. It won’t be going to a general meeting as the motion was voted against by council and I was asked to work with the student if he wanted to bring it back to the table anytime.

“We as a council understand what is going on with Imran Khan in his home country and the Union councillors therefore agreed not to pass the motion in council. I do apologise, this is my fault.“