LAHORE – inaugural crowning ceremony took place in Lahore, marking the beginning of an annual event on Friday evening.
Since 2020, Lahore has been the epicenter of Pakistan’s beauty pageant industry. Areej Chaudhary was the first beauty queen crowned in Pakistan, and since then, numerous titles have been awarded.
Sonia Ahmed, President of Miss Pakistan, emphasized, “I believe that all girls can contribute to the pageant industry as there are so many pageants of all levels. I don’t feel comfortable getting Pakistani girls to compete for just one title. If they are eligible, we welcome them to the ceremony, prepare them, and send them to international pageants. Given our limited numbers, the best approach is to provide opportunities for these girls to represent Pakistan.”
Dr. Shafaq Akhtar, Miss Pakistan Universal, was the first to bring international titles back to Pakistan. Recently married, she now holds the title of Mrs. Pakistan World 2024, her 7th winning title. Trained by a certified pageant coach in Malaysia, Dr. Akhtar has been coaching new participants since 2023 and continues to mentor the 2024 batch.
Sonia Ahmed added, “We subsidize everything for our girls because pageant training is crucial. Dr. Shafaq has not only won titles but has also significantly contributed to pageantry. She now focuses on training girls for future competitions. Everything is by Pakistanis and for Pakistanis.”
The winners of the 2024 Miss Pakistan, Mrs. Pakistan, Ms. Pakistan, and Mr. Pakistan titles are:
Wajiha Ihsan – Miss Pakistan World 2024, a software engineer in New Zealand
Usman Janjua – Mr. Pakistan World 2024, an international model in the UK
Dr. Shafaq Akhtar – Mrs. Pakistan World 2024, six-time titleholder
Dr. Rabail Aslam – Ms. Pakistan World 2024, a pathologist from the USA
Ali Javaid – Mr. Pakistan Universal 2024, a 19-year-old aspiring actor from Karachi
Kokab Mahmood – Miss Pakistan Universal 2024, an airline industry professional and swimming instructor from the UK
Mehwish Butt – Miss Pakistan Global 2024, a pathologist studying at Sargodha Medical College
Maryam Raja – Ms. Pakistan Universe 2024, data analyst
These winners will represent Pakistan internationally in 2024.
Sonia Ahmed stated, “We always want to encourage girls and boys with strong educational backgrounds. It’s important to highlight that career-oriented individuals can participate in pageantry, which is distinct from the modeling industry. These participants are not models; they are doctors, lawyers, software engineers—the true face of Pakistan. They balance their careers, families, and pageant life, embodying the strength and ambition of Pakistani women.”
It may be mentioned here that Miss Pakistan World organization was established in Ottawa, Canada, in 2002 and relocated to Toronto in 2004.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lahore emerged as the central hub for Pakistan’s pageant industry, an initiative led by Sonia Ahmed.
