Produced by: Bhoomika Aggarwal
Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Pakistan is set to participate in the Miss Universe pageant for the first time ever. Erica Robin is a Pakistani model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned the first-ever Miss Universe Pakistan this year. She will now represent the country at the much-coveted global beauty pageant
However, Erica Robin’s participation in a beauty pageant has not gone down well with the Islamic conversationalists in Pakistan. A member of the Jamaat E Islami party, Pakistani MP Mushtaq Ahmed, publicly criticised her participation, deeming it a source of shame
Pakistan's Caretaker Prime Minister Anwar Ul-Haq Kakar has ordered an investigation into the matter, as per a report by The Independent. He has slammed the Miss Universe Pakistan pageant as a "shameful act" while further calling it an "insult and exploitation of women of Pakistan"
Erica Robin is a Christian who hails from Karachi and was chosen as Miss Universe Pakistan among five finalists at a competition held in Maldives. She competed against Hira Inam, Jessica Wilson, Malika Alvi and Sabrina Wasim
“The government and the state of Pakistan are represented by the state and government institutions. Our government has not designated any non-state and non-governmental person or institution for any such activity and no such person/institution can represent the state/government,” wrote Pakistan’s Caretaker Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on X while being questioned on who authorised five Pakistani girls to represent Pakistan in Miss Universe beauty pageant
Miss Universe 2023 will be the 72nd Miss Universe pageant, to be held at the National Gymnasium in San Salvador, El Salvador on November 18
R'Bonney Gabriel of the United States will crown her successor at the event. She was the ninth delegate from the United States to win the title, as well as the oldest entrant to be crowned, succeeding India's Harnaaz Sandhu
Divita Rai will be representing the country at Miss Universe 2023. She was crowned Miss India Universe on August 28, 2022
India has won the Miss Universe title only thrice in the past:
-Sushmita Sen in 1994
-Lara Dutta in 2000
-Harnaaz Sandhu in 2021