ISLAMABAD: Misbah Arshad has been crowned Miss Universe Pakistan 2026 and will represent the country at the Miss Universe 2026 competition in Puerto Rico in November.
The recorded crowning ceremony was filmed at the Rizal Park Hotel in Manila, Philippines. Organisers released the ceremony in two parts on YouTube on Aug. 18 and 19.
Arshad won the national title after competing against nine other finalists. She will now prepare for the global competition, where she will represent Pakistan on an international stage.
The Miss Universe 2026 competition holds added significance this year as it marks the pageant’s 60th anniversary, with the global event scheduled to take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 24.
After winning the national crown, Arshad began preparations for the international competition. She is expected to highlight Pakistan’s culture, identity and diversity during her participation.
Her victory has drawn congratulations from fans and social media users. Many expressed hope that she will represent Pakistan with confidence and bring recognition to the country.
Miss Universe is one of the world’s leading beauty pageants. The competition evaluates contestants not only on appearance but also on confidence, personality, communication skills and their views on social and humanitarian issues.
According to beauty pageant website Conan Daily, Arshad is from Pakistan and has previously lived in Islamabad. She has also lived in Munich, Germany, where she is studying psychology at the University of Hagen.
Born in 2000, Arshad began gaining recognition in beauty pageants in 2023. She was crowned Miss Pakistan World 2023 on May 31 that year. She also won the Miss Aura Pakistan 2023 title and represented Pakistan at Miss Aura International 2023.
In September 2023, she competed against 42 other contestants at Miss Aura International in Kemer, Antalya, Türkiye. She did not secure a position in the competition.
Arshad later represented Pakistan at Miss International 2023 in Tokyo in October. The competition featured 69 contestants, but she did not reach the final positions. She also held the title of Miss International Pakistan 2023.
In 2024, Arshad represented Pakistan at Miss Supranational 2024 in Nowy Sącz, Poland. She competed against 67 other contestants at the July 6 event but did not secure a notable position. She had previously held the title of Miss Supranational Pakistan 2024.
Arshad has now added another major title to her pageant career by winning Miss Universe Pakistan 2026.
She will represent Pakistan at the Miss Universe 2026 final in San Juan on Nov. 24. Around 130 contestants from across the world are expected to take part.
Arshad’s journey from national pageants to major international competitions marks another chapter in her pageant career. She will now set her sights on the Miss Universe crown.
