Sonia Ahmed
Sonia Ahmed | |
---|---|
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Born | |
Nationality | Canadian Pakistani |
Citizenship | Canadian Pakistani |
Education | University of Ottawa Bachelor of Business |
Occupation | Filmmaker, Founder of Pakistan's Pageant Industry |
Years active | 2002–present |
Parent(s) | Mian Iqbal Ahmed, Safia Iqbal Ahmed |
Website | Official website |
Sonia Ahmed (Punjabi, Urdu: سونیا احمد) (born 23 August 1980) as Sonia Iqbal Ahmed, is a Kuwaiti-born-Pakistani and founder of Miss Canada Pakistan Inc., also known as Miss Pakistan World,[1][2] Mr. Pakistan World[3][4] and Mrs. Pakistan World[5] that were first held in 2002 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[1] In 2021, she established the Miss Trans Pakistan[6][7] pageant.
Biography
Sonia Ahmed was born in Kuwait to Arain[8] Punjabi father and her mother from Karachi, Pakistan. She spent her childhood in Kuwait. Ahmed is a certified accountant.[9] She views herself as a progressive working to liberate Pakistani women and showcase the beauty and talent of the new Pakistani generation.[10][11][12][13][14][15]
Career
Pakistan's Pageant Industry
In 2002,[16][17] Ahmed[18] created a beauty pageant called Miss Canada Pakistan and changed its name to Miss Pakistan World in 2006.[19][20][21][9][22] She created Mrs. Pakistan World in 2007, for married women of Pakistani descent.[23][24] She created Mr Pakistan World in 2011, and moved the event to New Jersey, USA in 2014.[25][26]
On May 25, 2021, during the pandemic, Ahmed created the first Miss Trans[27] Pakistan[28] for trans women[29] of Pakistani[30] descent.
Entering Film Work
In 2014, Ahmed filmed her first documentary, "I Shall Dance,[31][32]" under her production company, Touchgate Global Inc., which was released in September 2014[needs update] in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.[33]
Filmography
Year | Film | Credited as | Notes | Ref. | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Director | Writer | Producer | ||||
2014 | I Shall Dance[31][32] | Yes | Yes | Yes | Selected at the YellowKnife Film Festival | Feature [31][32] |
2022 | Pakistan's Minority Queen | Yes | Yes | Yes | Short Documentary/ Post Production | |
2023 | Untitled | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feature Documentary/ Development Stage |
Controversies
Ahmed faced opposition[34][35] on her holding the pageant from some conservative sections of the community. However the opposition soon ended.[when?] [36][37][38] 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[39] due to widespread flooding.[40]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Pakistan May Not Be Ready For Its Beauty Queen". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "DIVERSITY WATCH - Media - 2003 Archive". Diversitywatch.ryerson.ca. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ Inc, TouchGate Global. "American Pakistani Kevaan Hasnain wins Mr. Pakistan World 2020". www.newswire.ca. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
- ^ "The newly appointed Mr. Pakistan World 2021 is Syed Shah". Its South Asian. 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
- ^ "Porter: This beauty queen has brains and bite". Toronto Star. 14 January 2010.
- ^ "Is change really in the air for Pakistan's transgender community? | Opinion". Newsweek. 2021-06-15. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
- ^ NewsDesk (2021-05-24). "Shyraa Roy Crowned Miss Trans Pakistan 2021". Oyeyeah. Retrieved 2021-12-22.
- ^ Times, Parliament. "Sonia Ahmed: Our Real Hero - Daily Parliament Times". www.dailyparliamenttimes.com.
- ^ a b "Pakistani beauty pageant aims to celebrate womanhood". Indianexpress.com. 5 December 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "Celeb talk: The world at her fingertips". Khaleejtimes.com\Accessdate=15 November 2014.
- ^ "Miss Pakistan World". Tribune.com.pk. 3 March 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "Pak beauty pageant organiser sick of hypocrite Pakistanis". Zee News. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "Pakistani beauty queen opposes deal on Shariah law". Mid-day.com. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "Crowning glory for 'Miss Pakistan' beauty pageants". Theasaintoday.com. Archived from the original on 29 November 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ IANS. "Stop Sharia laws, kick out Taliban nomads: Miss Pakistan World". siliconindia. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "Crowning glory for 'Miss Pakistan' beauty pageants - Features, Sports". 6 December 2006.
- ^ "Miss Pakistan Sonia Ahmed". Retrieved 2021-12-22.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle". www.tribuneindia.com.
- ^ "Pakistani beauty pageant aims to 'celebrate womanhood'". 5 December 2011.
- ^ ""Miss Pakistan World is a step towards showing a different Pakistan" – Sonia Ahmed". 25 March 2010.
- ^ "Pakistani Canadian kills daughter over hijab". dna. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ [1] Archived December 9, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ "Farah mahmood - Pakistan gets its Mrs. Pakistan World 2013 - Farah Mahmood". Newswire.ca. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "Pakistan shines in Mr Ocean 2017". 30 November 2017.
- ^ "2014 Miss Pakistan World Pageant coming to Edison". Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. Retrieved October 30, 2014.
- ^ "Sialkot Born Singer Actress Shyraa Becomes First Miss Trans Pakistan | Daily Outcome". 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Model and singer Shyraa Roy selected as Pakistan's first Miss Trans Beauty Queen". 26 May 2021.
- ^ "Becoming Miss Trans Pakistan turned Shyraa Roy's life around and she wants the same for her community". 23 April 2022.
- ^ "Shyraa Roy, Miss Trans Pakistan 2021". 22 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "I Shall Dance – A film by Sonia Ahmed". Archived from the original on 7 July 2014.
- ^ a b c "I Shall Dance (2014)". IMDb. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ "I Shall Dance: A documentary on dance in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
- ^ Bh, Aparita (8 April 2006). "Beauty and belief: a balancing act". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ "Pakistani beauty pageant to go ahead". The Toronto Star. 19 August 2010.
- ^ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - The Tribune Lifestyle". www.tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
- ^ "DIVERSITY WATCH | Media | 2003 Archive". 2011-06-06. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
- ^ "Crowning glory for 'Miss Pakistan' beauty pageants - Features - The Asian Today Online". 2014-11-29. Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
- ^ Allen, Kate (19 August 2010). "Organizers criticized for running Pakistani pageant in wake of flood disaster". The Globe and Mail.
- ^ Waheed, Alia (2010-08-19). "Miss Pakistan World pageant's timing causes dismay". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
External links
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- 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