Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan named 'Muslim man of the year'

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has been named "Muslim man of the year" in an annual publication that ranks the world’s most influential followers of Islam.

The Muslim 500 - which is published by the Jordanian Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre - awarded the Pakistani premier the title of "Muslim man of the year", beating hundreds of other politicians, thinkers, academics, artists and celebrity figures who were named in the list.

Every year, the centre chooses a Muslim "man of the year" and "woman of the year", along with a list of 500 of influential figures.

"If 'The Muslim 500' was in print back in 1992 and I was the Chief Editor then, I would have nominated Imran Khan as our Muslim Man of the Year because of his brilliant performance in cricket when he won the 1992 Cricket World Cup for Pakistan," said Professor S. Abdallah Schleifer, a professor emeritus of journalism at the American University in Cairo, who chose both the winners for the titles.

Also on the list were Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi King Salman, his son Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and jailed Saudi scholar Salman al-Awdah.

Khan was a world famous cricketer before turning to politics, taking his little known party from obscurity to power last year.