Shafaq Naseem Akhtar (Urdu:شفق اختر) (born 15 October 1994) is a Pakistani beauty pageant titleholder and the winner of Miss Pakistan Universal in 2022 which is part of Miss Pakistan World pageant. She is also the first Pakistani Christian to do so.
Early life
Akhtar was born into a Christian family. She completed her schooling at Sacred Heart Cathedral school in Lahore and intermediate at Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore.
Akhtar is an orthopedic doctor, and she earned her medical degree from the University of Lahore. She works full time at a clinic in Lahore, Pakistan.
Beauty pageants
Akhtar won the title of Miss Pakistan Universal 2022 which was part of the Miss Pakistan World pageant that took place on the 31st of January 2022, in Lahore, Pakistan. On September 16, 2022, she participated in Miss Aura International that took place in Antalya, Turkey. There she won the sponsor title of Miss Rixos Sungate 2022 as one of the subtitles in Miss Aura International 2022. She was sent to Cambodia to compete in Miss Planet International 2023, where she won the Miss Humanity title. She then went to compete in Miss Elite 2023, which was held in the month of May 2023 in Egypt. Akhtar won 2 titles for Pakistan in the year 2022. She is still scheduled to compete in two more competitions in 2023.
On the 31st of May 2023, Akhtar crowned the next winner of Miss Pakistan Universal 2023 in the Grand Palm Hotel in Lahore, Pakistan. Besides competing in pageants, Akhtar also trains new girls who are part of Miss Pakistan World pageant.