Lahore busy with beauty queens
Lahore Buzzing with Beauty Queens
Lahore has been the main city to house the Miss Pakistan and Mr. Pakistan contests and that is because the Miss/Mrs./Mr. Pakistan World pageants shifted from Toronto, Canada to Lahore, Pakistan. For the past 20 years since 2002, the beauty pageant industry of Pakistan, founded by Sonia Ahmed, was being hosted in Toronto, Canada. However, the pandemic saw a huge shift to the city of Lahore as it allowed the Canadian company Touchgate Global Inc., to start its operations in Lahore by establishing the beauty pageant industry for Pakistan in Pakistan.
In August 2020, the first girl to be crowned on the soil of Pakistan in Lahore was Areej Chaudhary. Areej got the titles of Miss Pakistan World and Miss Earth Pakistan, and then competed in Miss Earth 2020 in November 2020 and now is all prepared to represent Pakistan in the Miss Eco International pageant happening in Egypt in March 2022 where she will be competing with 80 other countries. Areej has also ventured off into the drama industry where she is seen in dramas like Sitam, Mahi, Sirat-e-Mustaqeem, Inteqam and Oye Moti.
On May 25, 2021. Lahore witnessed another history-making event, the crowning of the first Miss Trans Pakistan 2021/2022, Shyraa Roy. This was the first trans girl to be a beauty queen for the Pakistani trans community. The event took place in Swiss Lounge in Lahore, where Areej Chaudhary, Miss Pakistan World crowned Shyraa Roy as the first Miss Trans Pakistan. Shyraa Roy is a singer and has released a song “Kamli” with Mohsin Abbas Haider and her second song was Duniya released in November 2021.
The year 2022 has seen more applications from Islamabad, Lahore as well as Faisalabad. This year’s final winners have a diverse background. The winners are: Dr. Shafaq Akhtar, Miss Pakistan Universal 2022 from Lahore, who belongs to the Pakistani Christian community and will represent Pakistan in Miss Universal in the Philippines, Sana Hayat, Miss Pakistan Global 2022, a television host from Lahore who will be competing in Miss Global in Indonesia, Nida Khan, Mrs. Pakistan World 2022, a model and a mother of a 5-year-old son and will be competing in Mrs. United Nations in Malaysia. In the boy’s category, Muhammad Umer who has graduated in the UK but from Lahore, is the new Mr. Pakistan Global 2022 and will compete in Mister Global, Attaullah Gujjar from Faisalabad, Mr. Pakistan World 2020 who will compete in Gentleman of the World in Indonesia and Alamdar Khan from Islamabad, who is in the 30 plus age category representing Pakistan in Mr. Elite 2022 in Trinidad & Tobago.
For the last two months, these contestants were busy getting trained by pageant coach and current Ms. Pakistan Universe 2022 Saman Shah who will be also representing Pakistan in the Ms. Tourism Universe pageant in the 30 plus category in the Philippines. Shah has been a triple title holder, of the following titles: Mrs. Pakistan World, Mrs. Globe Pakistan & now Ms. Pakistan Universe 2022 and has won a few titles at these international pageants. After 6 weeks of training the titleholders of Miss/Mrs. and Mr. Pakistan 2022 have finished their full course in training for international pageants and have received their certificates.
Sonia Ahmed the founder of the pageant world for Pakistan has said, “I want Pakistan’s representation in all international beauty pageants and major competitions. It’s high time Pakistan is represented in the world as the country with the most beautiful people. In the South Asian subcontinent, Pakistanis are the most beautiful, but due to budget constraints we are unable to showcase our true selves in a manner that befits us. Instead, other countries who invest heavily in their candidates end up going forward. Pakistan is a country with the most beautiful and unique mixes of various cultures from Europe to Central Asia and we have done very little to show that side of Pakistan. Negative media propaganda from enemy country is something the Pakistani beauty industry battles with on all fronts. That’s why I want to call out for a strong support from Pakistan’s business community to help us in our cause and to showcase a strong, yet soft image of Pakistan through the youth and the titleholders of Pakistan.”
She added, “There is more to come for Pakistan’s Pageant World, as preparations are being made for Karachi, Hyderabad and Quetta as well as the overseas Pakistanis are gathering to focus on the international pageant world by representing Pakistan. This was much needed for Pakistan and as a team we are working together to make this happen for us!”
