Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Zulfikar Bukhari, has instructed Pakistan’s Foreign Office to engage with the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and investigate how a company representing Pakistan can participate in the Miss Universe competition without official approval.
Earlier, Special Assistant Bukhari had directed Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), to investigate who was organizing the Miss Universe competition in Pakistan and using the country’s name without official authorization. The ISI’s report revealed that a business group, Yugen Publishing and Marketing, based in Dubai, had acquired the rights/licenses for Miss Universe Bahrain and Miss Universe Egypt. They had also launched a website, “houseofyugen.com,” seeking applications from Pakistani women between the ages of 24 and 28, regardless of their marital status, to participate in the pageant.
According to the ISI report, the selection of these Pakistani-origin women was conducted through a survey involving 200 applicants from around the world. Additionally, they participated in a photoshoot in the Maldives.
On Thursday, September 14, one of the selected candidates is set to participate in the crowning ceremony at 7 PM, UAE time, during a Taj Posh ceremony. This event will be broadcast on the Miss Universe YouTube channel.
Yugen Group is sponsoring this event in Dubai, and Josh Yugen is the National Director of Miss Universe Pakistan. The Yugen Group has also partnered with the “Choice” voting app to allow fans of the pageant to vote for their favorite contestants.
The situation has raised concerns as the Miss Universe pageant typically requires official approval and coordination with the host country’s government and relevant authorities. The use of Pakistan’s name in this competition without proper authorization has led to an investigation by Pakistani authorities to ensure the rights and interests of the country are safeguarded.
This incident highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity and legal authorization of such international events and competitions, especially when they involve the representation of a nation. It remains to be seen how the investigation and engagement with the UAE government will proceed and what actions will be taken to address this issue.
