Christians are rooting for Miss Pakistan Shafaq Akhtar, who has made history by becoming the first Christian to win one of the top beauty pageants in the Islamic republic.
Shafaq, a medical doctor and a Protestant Christian from Lahore, was crowned Miss Pakistan Universal 2022 in a virtual beauty pageant hosted in Canada on Jan. 30. She will now represent Pakistan in the Miss Universe competition in the Philippines in April.
“It was a sudden blast. I thank God [for the opportunity] to represent the Christian community,” she told UCA News.
Shafaq credited her father, a political leader, for inspiring her to become a voice for the community but said she was “still learning to deal with the media” even though she has more than 6,000 Instagram followers.
“I will work for minority rights, helping the needy and charities. I am already giving discounts and offering free treatment to some of my patients,” said Shafaq.
The practicing doctor doesn’t seem keen on pursuing a career in showbiz.
In September 2021, Shafaq started serving mentally and physically disabled women and girls at the Home of Love managed by the Missionaries of Charity. In May 2021, she joined the United Christian Hospital (UCH) in Lahore as a visiting faculty.
The media frenzy since Shafaq won the title compelled the UCH management to ban media persons from the hospital premises. “The patients were getting disturbed,” said administrator Imran Titus.
But the nuns and inmates welcomed Shafaq to their home by playing the tambourine amid cheers and claps on Feb. 2.
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Pastor Anwar Fazal, the most popular Christian televangelist in Pakistan, hailed her achievement during his Feb. 20 Sunday service. “She is a daughter of the church. We thank God for all the blessings,” he said.
Roheel Zafar Shahi, secretary-general of the Pakistan Minority Rights Commission, urged community leaders to own the title.
“They should promote young talent even if they are in the entertainment industry. They can be role models as well. Many Christian girls are contacting us since we congratulated the beauty queen on our Facebook page. We shall sponsor the deserving candidates for future pageants,” he said.
In April 2020, Ravish Zahid became the first-ever Mrs. Pakistan World from the Catholic community.
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