Miss Pakistan World is a beauty pageant for Pakistan. Till date it is the only original Pakistani beauty pageant that is internationally recognized in the world. The contestants of the Miss Pakistan World pageant are Pakistani girls who reside all over the world, as well as the participation is opened for Pakistani girls from Pakistan, as well as dual nationality holders. Miss Pakistan World has been running since 2002 and has expanded to launching Mrs. Pakistan World as well as Mr. Pakistan World.

History

Founding Pakistan's Pageant Industry

Founded in 2002 by Pakistani-Canadian entrepreneur Sonia Ahmed, and in its first year called "Miss Canada Pakistan^[1]", the contest is held in Canada because beauty pageants are highly controversial in Pakistan and if it were held there, security for contestants would be too problematic.^[2] According to Ahmed, "Pakistan's slow changing movement to liberate its women forbids such events from taking place on its soil."^[3] The name of the pageant was changed to Miss Pakistan World, when contestants from around the world started applying for the title. It is the only pageant existing for single Pakistani women in the world.^[4] The first Miss Pakistan World to be crowned was Zehra Sheerazi on the 1st of February 2003 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Sheerazi went on to represent Pakistan in Pakistan's first ever debut in international pageants, World Miss University. The winners^[5] went on to represent Pakistan in international pageants as well as the contestants came from diverse backgrounds to participate.^[6]

In 2007, Ahmed went on to create Mrs. Pakistan World and in 2011 Mr. Pakistan World all male model competition was launched. Mr. Pakistan World and Miss Pakistan World take place together on stage and both winners are announced together.^{[citation needed]}

In 2014, Sonia Ahmed, President of Miss Pakistan World, shifted the entire pageant and its team to base itself in New Jersey, US for the year 2014.^[7] This was the first time the pageant was held out^[8] of its home base in Canada. This not only attracted new local contestants from the US^[9] but also got more contestants attracted from different parts of the world. In 2015 & 2016 the pageant was back in Toronto,^[10] Canada.

Titleholders

Despite being called "Miss Pakistan World"^[11] the pageant sends its delegates to the Miss Earth. Zehra Sheerazi was the first Miss Pakistan World to enter into an international beauty pageant, World Miss University 2003 in Korea. The first girl of mixed race, Anzhelika Tahir^[12][13] was crowned Miss Pakistan World on the 31st of October, 2015. The pageant also sends its runners-up to various international pageants around the world: Miss Tourism Queen International, Miss Earth, World Miss University, Miss Supertalent, Miss Eco International, Bikini of the Universe, Beauty of the World and many others.

Color keys

Year	Representative	Province	Host City	Host Country	Placement at International Pageants
2017/2018			TBA	TBA
2016/2017	Ramina Ashfaque	Sindh	Toronto	Canada	sent to Miss Earth 2017
2015	Anzhelika Tahir [14][15][16]	Punjab	Toronto	Canada	Sent to Miss Earth World Miss University, World Super Model 2016 & Miss Supertalent 2016
2014	Aatka Feroz	Punjab	New Jersey, United States	United States	sent to Miss Earth 2015 withdrew & did not compete in international beauty pageants.
2013	Shanzay Hayat[17][18][19]	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	Mississauga	Canada	Sent to Miss Grand International Miss Earth Miss Asia Pacific World
2012	Zanib Naveed[20]	Punjab			Silver Medal in Trivia Challenge in Miss Earth
2011	Sanober Hussain[21]	Punjab			Miss Friendship
2010	Annie Rupani[22][23]	Sindh			Miss Diversity
2009	Ayesha Gilani[24]	Punjab			Unplaced in Miss Earth & Beauty of the World, Miss Tourism Queen International
2008	Natasha Paracha[25]	Punjab			Withdrew from Miss Earth and was replaced by Nosheen Idrees and did not compete in international pageants
2007	Mahleej Sarkari[26]	Baluchistan			Miss Tourism Queen International
2006	Sehr Mahmood[27]	Sindh			Unplaced in the Miss Earth, Miss Elegant position won in Queen of the World
2005	Naomi Zaman	Punjab			Debut in Miss Earth & winner of Miss Dance Queen in Miss Tourism Queen International
2004	Batool Cheema	Punjab			Sent to Queen of the World 2009 and Miss Friendship 2009
2003	Zehra Sheerazi	Sindh	Ottawa		Sent to World Miss University 2013

Representatives to Miss Earth

The first representative to Miss Earth was Naomi Zaman in 2005 and since then there have been two years where Pakistan did not participate, 2007 & 2013. However, the winner of 2013 Shanzay Hayat represented Pakistan in the Miss Earth 2014 pageant held in Manila, Philippines on November 29, 2014. In 2008 Natasha Paracha, Miss Pakistan World 2008 was replaced by runner up Nosheen Idrees.

Color keys

Year	Representative	City, Province	Ranking	Special Awards
2017	Ramina Ashfaque	Sindh	Unplaced	Unplaced
2016	Anzhelika Tahir[28][29][30][31]	Punjab	Unplaced	Talent Competition
2014	Shanzay Hayat[32]	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	Unplaced	Talent Competition
2012	Zanib Naveed[33][34]	Punjab	Unplaced	Trivia Challenge Award for press favorite Miss SMDC
2011	Sanober Hussain[35]	Punjab	Unplaced	Miss Friendship
2009	Ayesha Gilani[36][37]	Punjab	Unplaced	Top 15 Talent Finals
2008	Nosheen Idrees[37][38]	Punjab	Unplaced	None
2006	Sehr Mahmood[37][39][40]	Sindh	Unplaced	None
2005	Naomi Zaman[37]	Punjab	Unplaced	None

Controversy

The pageant has been criticised by Pakistani feminist Amna Buttar of the Asian-American Network Against Abuse of Human Rights, who wrote in an email to the New York Times:

"In Pakistan, we are trying to get basic rights for women: right to marry, right to divorce, equal opportunity for job and education, and issues like Miss Pakistan create problems for this movement. An average Pakistani young woman does not want to wear a bikini in public, and for her it is important to have equal opportunity and all focus should be on that, and not on a pageant where only the elite can participate."^[2]

Sonia Ahmed President of Miss Pakistan World defended the event as a movement to express one's rights and freedom to do as one wishes.

In 2010 the pageant also fell into some controversy when it was held in the month of Ramadan as well as when the floods affected Pakistan 3 weeks prior to the event.^{[41][42][43][44]} In 2005, one of the runners-up of the Miss Pakistan World pageant was in the news for participating in an international pageant called Miss Bikini of the Universe.^[45] Most contestants^[46] who participated from around the world^[47][48] were highlighted during the pageant^[49] as well.^[50][51] At a time when Pervez Musharraf was facing criticism from various political parties in Pakistan, one Miss Pakistan World confessed that she loved the president.^[52] During the Mumbai Attacks, Miss Pakistan World^[53] winners spoke about the incident and gave statements regarding the India Pakistan tension. During a CNN interview, Miss Pakistan World Natasha Paracha^[54] used the word "condone" instead of "condemn" and it rolled on to become a huge controversy which dismayed many Indians.

Expansion

In 2007 Mrs. Pakistan World,^[55] for married women, was created as a spin-off. Both the Miss Pakistan World and the Mrs. Pakistan World pageant were created on the basis of issues faced by women in Pakistan.The pageant is running successfully since 2007.

In 2011 Mr. Pakistan World, for single males of Pakistani descent.^[56] The pageant has been running since 2011 and has been incorporated with the Miss Pakistan World pageant on stage.