Won't do anything to harm the reputation of Pakistan: Erica Robin

Beauty pageants are a common occurrence worldwide. However, alleged news of a Pakistani woman competing on the international stage for the first time has garnered both acclaim and criticism within the country. "For the first time ever, Pakistan will have a participant in the Miss Universe contest. I'm under a lot of pressure and have a lot of responsibility. However, I won't do anything that would harm the reputation of the country" stated Erica Robin, a 24-year-old fashion model allegedly selected to represent Pakistan in the Miss Universe competition.

While women of Pakistani origin have previously participated in local-level beauty pageants held in various countries, Pakistan itself has never been represented on the Miss Universe stage—until now. In an interview with Voice of America, Robin expressed her enthusiasm for the competition, stating that she would be overjoyed if she were to win, proudly proclaiming that "she belongs to Pakistan."

Robin would be making history as she participates in this international competition. She considers it a great honour to represent Pakistan at the El Salvador Miss Universe 2023 pageant on November 18, where contestants from 90 countries will compete.

However, in a strange turn of events, Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting Murtaza Solangi on Wednesday said that the government had not nominated anyone to represent Pakistan at the Miss Universe beauty pageant. The minister was responding to a senior journalist’s post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), who had questioned who in the government had given permission to five persons for the contest.

“The government and the state of Pakistan are represented by the state and government institutions. Our government has not nominated any non-state or non-governmental person or institution for any such activity, nor can any such person or institution represent the state or government. Period,” the minister said in his post on X.

The Miss Universe competition, with an estimated annual budget of $100 million, is jointly hosted by the United States and Thailand. This prestigious institution was founded on June 28, 1952. Each year, women from all corners of the globe participate in this contest, showcasing their intelligence, professional achievements, and commitment to social causes. The competition transcends barriers of race, caste, language, religion, and culture.