Sonia Ahmed (Urdu: سونیا احمد) (born 23 August 1980) as Sonia Iqbal Ahmed, is a Kuwait-born Canadian Pakistani and founder of Miss Canada Pakistan Inc., now known as

Miss Pakistan World Miss Pakistan World is a beauty pageant for women of Pakistani descent from around the world. The event is held annually in Canada. History The pageant was originally launched in 2002 by Sonia Ahmed under the name of Miss Canada Pakistan. ...

, Mr. Pakistan World and Mrs. Pakistan World that were first held in 2002 in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, Canada. In 2021, she established the

Miss Trans Pakistan Miss Trans Pakistan is a pageant for the trans women of Pakistan founded by Sonia Ahmed. It is part of the Miss Pakistan World pageant. History In 2020, during COVID-19, the Miss Pakistan World pageant moved from Toronto Canada to Lahore ...

pageant.

Biography

Sonia Ahmed was born in

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the no ...

Arain Arain (also known as Raeen) are a large Punjabi agricultural tribe with strong political identity and organisation, found mainly in the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh with a small population in parts of Indian Punjab, Uttar Pradesh an ...

Punjabi father from Lahore, Punjab and mother is from Karachi, Sindhi. She spent her childhood in

and did her high school and university in

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tota ...

. Ahmed is a certified accountant. She views herself as a progressive working to liberate Pakistani women and showcase the beauty and talent of the new Pakistani generation.

Career

Pakistan's Pageant Industry

In 2002, Ahmed created a beauty pageant called Miss Canada Pakistan and changed its name to

in 2006. She created Mrs. Pakistan World in 2007, for married women of Pakistani descent. She created Mr Pakistan World in 2011, and moved the event to

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...

, USA in 2014. In 2020, Ahmed, brought the pageant to Lahore, Pakistan where the first Miss Pakistan World was crowned on the soil of Pakistan, Areej Chaudhary. After, alomost 20 years of holding the pageant in the USA and Canada, girls from the soil of Pakistan were being accepted. On May 25, 2021, during the pandemic, Ahmed created the first Miss Trans Pakistan for trans women of Pakistani descent and the first trans girl to be crowned was Shyraa Roy.

Entering Film Work

In 2014, Ahmed filmed her first documentary, " I Shall Dance," under her production company, Touchgate Global Inc., which was released in September 2014 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Filmography

Controversies

Ahmed faced opposition on her holding the pageant from some conservative sections of the community. However the opposition soon ended. In August 2010, Ahmed was criticized for going ahead with the 8th annual Miss Pakistan World during the month of Ramadan and while Pakistan faced a humanitarian crisis due to widespread flooding.

References

External links

*
ANI Interview

Official Sonia Ahmed Site

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ahmed, Sonia 1980 births Living people Businesspeople from Karachi Businesspeople from Ottawa Businesspeople from Toronto Canadian businesspeople of Pakistani descent Canadian people of Pakistani descent Canadian people of Punjabi descent Pakistani expatriates in Kuwait Pakistani Sunni Muslims Pakistani women Punjabi people Punjabi women University of Ottawa alumni