Misbah Arshad has been crowned Miss Universe Pakistan 2026, becoming the fourth woman to hold the title and represent the country at the international pageant since Pakistan’s franchise was established. The crowning took place at a ceremony in the Philippines, where Arshad received her sash from Miss Universe Pakistan franchise owner Josh Yugen before being crowned by outgoing titleholder Roma Riaz.

The selection process leading up to the announcement drew significant public attention, with reports of tension surrounding the event before the final decision was made. Footage of the coronation moment was later shared across the organisation’s social media channels, showing Arshad being presented with the crown in front of an audience of contestants, organisers and supporters.

Arshad’s path to the title turned on her response to the final question posed to the finalists before the judges made their decision. Philippine actor and musician Bailey May asked her to imagine sitting in a room with both her ten year old self and her eighty year old self, and to say which of the two would ask her the harder question. Arshad responded that her younger self would pose the more difficult question, since a child version of herself would want to know how her life had turned out. She said she would tell her younger self that she had faced setbacks along the way, but that the point of the journey was to keep moving forward despite those failures. She described life as a cycle worth not just accepting but genuinely enjoying, framing hardship as something that ultimately strengthens a person.

Arshad is currently a psychology student and brings prior international pageant experience to the Miss Universe stage. She previously represented Pakistan at Miss International 2023, held in Japan, and at Miss Supranational 2024, held in Poland. With her new title, she is now set to travel to Puerto Rico to compete in the 75th edition of Miss Universe, joining contestants from around the world at the flagship pageant.

Following her win, Arshad shared reflections on her journey on social media, telling followers that failure does not determine whether someone is a winner, and that what matters instead is holding onto hope, continuing to put in effort, and improving with each step taken. She said that although she had won the crown, the greater reward was the process itself, including the lessons learned and the people she met along the way, and she thanked those who supported her throughout the journey.

Arshad also spoke about the symbolism behind her coronation gown, a white dress featuring a crystal embellished bodice designed by Vietnamese designer Nguyễn Tiến Truyển. She explained that the white fabric represented hope and served as a reminder to keep believing in one’s dreams, while the royal blue crystal detailing symbolised education and the knowledge gained through continuous learning.

Arshad becomes the latest in a line of Pakistani women to compete on the international pageant circuit in recent years, following a period during which the country’s participation in Miss Universe drew renewed public interest and debate. Her selection adds to a growing profile for Pakistan’s Miss Universe franchise, which has worked to establish a consistent presence for the country at the global competition.

As she prepares for the Puerto Rico pageant, Arshad is expected to continue sharing updates on her preparation and platform in the lead up to the international competition, where she will compete against representatives from dozens of countries for the Miss Universe title.