Toronto, Ontario, CAN, 2008-02-11 11:30:00 (IndiaPRwire.com)


Mrs. Pakistan World 2008
In light of the tragic assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, liberated Pakistani women grabbed a victory for progression this past month, when Saman Hasnain was crowned Mrs. Pakistan World 2008. In the second annual pageant, Hasnain’s crowning marks a time when modern and independent Pakistani women are doing all they can to gain a voice on the international stage.
Hasnain, a happily married mother of two, will go on to compete in the Mrs. World 2008 competition for her birth country. Hasnain, who now lives in San Francisco with her family looks at this win as a great honour and triumph for Pakistani women. “I would like to change the world’s perception of Pakistani women. It is important to raise funds and help resolve issues faced by Pakistan. I hope to act as a role model, and encourage, educate and motivate Pakistani women to help achieve a strong and progressive Pakistan” says Hasnain.
On December 27th, the world took a collective gasp over the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, one of the few political leaders who could have catapulted Pakistan into economic and political liberation. One may see Bhutto’s death as a giant step backwards, however many are realizing that it is a sign that this can no longer be a one-woman-show.
The newly crowned Mrs. Pakistan World 2008 is a real estate agent by trade, but has already worked diligently to aid a struggling Pakistan find its footing. She showed her charitable nature by helping build a school in a small village in Pakistan for 1000 children, and shown consistent support for DIL (Development in Literacy), all while volunteering at her children’s school in San Francisco. She plans to use her new title to increase her work and broaden her scope throughout the world.
Sonia Ahmed, president of Miss Canada Pakistan Inc., the organization who created Mrs. Pakistan World, says “Our goal is to show the world that Pakistani women have a global voice and a desire to progress and help change the world.” Ahmed created Miss Pakistan World in 2002, and as the 6th annual pageant approaches, she has seen her mission come to light as the crown winners have won several international titles and helped to prove that all Pakistani women can eventually have a positive and free-thinking future on a global scale.
The organization’s headquarters is in Toronto, Ontario where recently a young girl, Aqsa Parvez, was strangled to death by her father for not wearing her hijab (a traditional part of Muslim attire) in public. Occasions like these act as a deep reminder to those who are liberated from the radical traditions of the fundamentalists within the Pakistani community, that advancement is an irrefutable necessity.
One from western society may find it challenging to see how a beauty pageant would act as a means for women’s liberation, however for the women of Pakistan these pageants are a sign that there is a lot to look forward to in the progression of their country. A global voice is something that many of these women grew up not realizing would be possible in their lifetime.
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Miss Pakistan World is a beauty pageant for all Pakistani girls from all over the world.