Pakistan Makes Historic Miss World Debut After 75 Years

Pakistan has officially made its debut at the Miss World 2026 competition, marking the country’s first participation in the international pageant’s 75-year history.

According to a statement from Miss Pakistan World, the milestone fulfills a vision that began 25 years ago when Sonia Ahmed founded the Miss Pakistan World Organization in Toronto, Canada, in 2002.

“From the beginning, the organization’s goal was to send an official Pakistani representative to Miss World. However, the pageant was not eligible because the national competition was not being held on Pakistani soil,” the statement said. It noted that the situation changed in 2020 when the Miss Pakistan pageant was relocated to Lahore.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Areej Chaudhary became the first national titleholder to be crowned in Pakistan. Since then, the annual pageant has continued to be held in Lahore.

Anniqa Jamal Iqbal, a 24-year-old master’s student specializing in accounting and auditing, was crowned Miss World Pakistan 2026. She will become the first official Pakistani representative to compete at Miss World.

The crowning ceremony was held at Lahore’s Faletti’s Hotel, where Dr. Shafaq Akhtar, Miss Pakistan Universal 2022, and Attaullah Gujjar, Mr. Pakistan World, crowned Iqbal.

According to the statement, Iqbal is among Pakistan’s most accomplished international beauty pageant contestants. She has previously represented the country at Miss Earth, Miss Global, Miss Cosmo, Miss Eco International, and Miss Aura International. She also won four titles at the Freedom of the World competition in Kosovo.

Beyond pageantry, Iqbal is involved in humanitarian work through her “Beauty with a Purpose” initiative, which supports thalassemia patients in Pakistan.

“She actively volunteers with the Sundas Foundation, Noor Foundation, and the Renal Care Foundation in Lahore, helping improve the lives of patients who require ongoing medical treatment,” the statement said.

Reflecting on the achievement, Miss Pakistan World President Sonia Ahmed said, “Twenty-five years ago, when I founded Miss Pakistan World in Toronto, Canada, our dream was always to see Pakistan represented at Miss World. Because the pageant was not being held on Pakistani soil, we were not eligible to participate.

“Bringing the pageant to Lahore in 2020 changed our future. Today, after 25 years of dedication, perseverance, and hard work, we have achieved what once seemed impossible. This is a historic moment not only for our organization but for Pakistan.”

Founded in 2002, the Miss Pakistan World Organization was established with the goal of sending an official Pakistani representative to the Miss World competition. According to the organization, the achievement marks the culmination of 25 years of sustained efforts to secure Pakistan’s place on the global pageant stage.

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