Misbah Arshad crowned Miss Universe Pakistan

Misbah Arshad has won the title of Miss Universe Pakistan following a keenly contested selection process, becoming the fourth Pakistani woman to compete on the Miss Universe stage.

The crowning took place at a ceremony in the Philippines, where Miss Universe Pakistan franchise owner Josh Yugen presented her sash and outgoing titleholder Roma Riaz placed the crown on her head. Footage of the moment was posted by the organisation across its social media platforms.

Arshad’s response to the final question of the competition is widely seen as having clinched her win. Filipino actor and musician Bailey May asked her which version of herself, at age 10 or 80 , would pose the harder question if she were seated in a room with both.

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A post shared by Misbah Arshad (@mis.bah.a)

Arshad said her 10-year-old self would ask the tougher one, wanting to know how her life had unfolded, and that she would tell her she had stumbled many times along the way but kept getting back up. “I would tell her that it’s a beautiful cycle of life and that we shouldn’t just embrace it, but truly enjoy it. Because the hotter the fire, the purer the gold,” she said.

A psychology student, Arshad has prior pageant experience, having represented Pakistan at Miss International 2023 in Japan and Miss Supranational 2024 in Poland. She will next compete at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico.

Reflecting on her win in a social media post, Arshad said failure does not determine whether someone is a winner, but rather holding on to hope, continuing to put in effort, and growing with every step does. She added that although she had won the crown, the real reward was the journey itself, the lessons learned and the people she met along the way, and thanked everyone who had supported her.

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A post shared by Misbah Arshad (@mis.bah.a)

She also spoke about the meaning behind her coronation outfit, a white gown with a crystal-studded bodice by Vietnamese designer Nguyễn Tiến Truyển, saying the white symbolised hope and a reminder to keep believing in one’s dreams, while the royal blue crystals represented the education and knowledge gained through continuous learning.