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Pakistan government wants nothing
to do with 'Miss Pakistan'

The government moved soon after photographs of 21-year old Neelan Noorani appeared in newspapers on Friday, in a preview of the Tokyo beauty pageant as 'Miss Pakistan'.

"The government has moved to save the nation from this disgrace," The News daily said in a front page story titled 'Beauty queen or an ultimate disgrace', even as it carried a picture of Noorani taking part in the pageant.

Miss Noorani, seen as a disgrace by many Pakistanis, was wearing a ceremonial strap prominently inscribing 'PAKISTAN', the daily said.

Expressing shock over Noorani taking part in the contest, Secretary (Culture, Sports and Tourism) Tariq Janjua was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the government had nothing to do with 'this shameful development'.

"Our religion, Islam, also disapproves all such acts," Janjua said adding that such contests were in total 'contrast' to the social and cultural values of Pakistan.

"She may be an expatriate Pakistani, taking part in the beauty contest in her individual capacity," he said.

Asked whether Noorani needed to obtain the government's permission, he said, as per the new policy guidelines, when cultural delegations or artists travel abroad they need not take a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the government.

However, "Pakistan, being an Islamic state, has never encouraged anyone in the past to participate in such international contests," the newspaper added.

According to the organisers, 51 girls would compete for the Miss International crown in Tokyo on September 30.

More reports from Pakistan

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