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Jaipur: Miss Universe Pakistan 2026 Misbah Arshad has congratulated Kaziah Liz Mejo after the 19-year-old from Kerala was crowned Miss Universe India 2026. Arshad also extended her wishes to Miss Universe Thailand 2026 Tharina Botes, describing the three newly crowned beauty queens as a stronger representation of Asia on the international pageant stage.

Mejo won the Miss Universe India title at the grand finale in Jaipur on August 23, emerging victorious from a field of 52 finalists. She will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.

Misbah Arshad congratulates Kaziah Liz Mejo

Following Mejo’s victory, a Pakistani pageant platform shared a collage featuring Misbah Arshad, Kaziah Liz Mejo and Tharina Botes with the message, “Team Asia: Getting Strong.”

Arshad reacted warmly to the post and congratulated the newly crowned queens. She wrote that three beautiful queens had been crowned during the week, adding that their victories made “Team Asia stronger and more elegant”. She also shared the post on her Instagram Stories and responded with a heart-eyes emoji.

Her message came shortly after Mejo’s win at the Miss Universe India 2026 finale and highlighted the growing attention around the Asian representatives ahead of the international competition.

Who is Kaziah Liz Mejo?

Kaziah Liz Mejo is a 19-year-old law student from Kerala who has also pursued modelling, classical dance and other creative interests.

She defeated 52 other finalists to claim the national title at the Jaipur finale. Her victory means she will represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant, scheduled to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in November 2026.

Mejo succeeds Manika Vishwakarma, who held the Miss Universe India title in 2025.

Her achievement is also notable because she becomes the first woman from Kerala to win the Miss Universe India title, according to reports.

Mejo’s pageant journey

The new Miss Universe India titleholder already had experience in beauty pageants before winning the national crown.

Mejo previously finished as the first runner-up at Miss Teen International 2025 and also won the Miss Universe Kerala 2026 title. Her background includes classical dance and modelling, alongside her law studies.

Her combination of academic interests and pageant experience helped establish her profile before she entered the national competition.

Misbah Arshad is Pakistan’s Miss Universe representative

Misbah Arshad was recently crowned Miss Universe Pakistan 2026 and will also compete at the international pageant later this year.

The 26-year-old is a psychology student, model and content creator. She has previously participated in international pageants, including Miss International 2023 in Japan.

Beyond pageantry and fashion, Arshad has spoken about the importance of education, particularly education for girls. Her social media posts have also highlighted her interest in travel, culture and personal development.

Following her crowning, she said that setbacks do not determine whether someone is a winner and emphasised the importance of continuing to learn and improve.

Arshad’s focus on education

Education appears to be an important part of Arshad’s public platform.

In July, she shared her experience of visiting a school in Lahore and interacting with young students. She spoke about girls’ education and described it as an important investment in Pakistan’s future.

Her academic background in psychology also forms part of her identity beyond the pageant stage.

As she prepares for Miss Universe 2026, Arshad is expected to carry these interests and advocacy themes onto the international platform.

Team Asia heads to Miss Universe 2026

Arshad’s message also brings attention to the Asian representatives preparing for the global competition.

Along with Mejo representing India and Arshad representing Pakistan, Tharina Botes will represent Thailand at Miss Universe 2026.

The three queens’ interaction has been described by pageant fans as a sign of growing camaraderie among Asian contestants.

Their national titles have come within a short period, making their preparation for the international competition a major focus for pageant followers.

India and Pakistan prepare for the global stage

The Miss Universe competition will bring together contestants from across the world, with India and Pakistan both sending new representatives.

For Mejo, the competition will be her first Miss Universe appearance after winning the Indian national title.

For Arshad, it represents the next stage of a pageant journey that has already included international experience.

Their participation is expected to attract attention from audiences in both countries, particularly as the two contestants have publicly shown support for one another.

Miss Universe 2026 in Puerto Rico

The 75th Miss Universe pageant is scheduled to take place on November 24, 2026, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Mejo will enter the competition as India’s newly crowned representative, while Arshad will carry Pakistan’s hopes at the global event.

The international pageant will provide both contestants with an opportunity to showcase their stage presence, communication skills and individual platforms.

Mejo’s winning moment in Jaipur

The Miss Universe India 2026 finale was held at Zee Studios in Jaipur on August 23.

Mejo was crowned by outgoing titleholder Manika Vishwakarma after winning against the other national finalists. Tamil Nadu’s Vaishnavi Gannesh was named first runner-up, while Gujarat’s Anushri Satavlekar finished as second runner-up.

The judging panel included prominent names from the Indian pageant and entertainment world, including Sushmita Sen, Celina Jaitly and Urvashi Rautela.

Mejo’s winning answer also went viral

Following her victory, attention also turned to Mejo’s final answer during the competition.

According to Miss Universe India, finalists were given 20 questions and 90 minutes to write their answers during this year’s competition. A video of Mejo’s winning answer subsequently attracted attention online.

Her performance during the question-and-answer segment was one of the factors that contributed to her final victory.

A message of support across borders

Arshad’s congratulatory message has added a positive element to the pageant coverage, with the Pakistani titleholder publicly celebrating India’s newly crowned representative.

Rather than focusing only on the competition between contestants, the interaction highlighted the supportive relationship among several Asian representatives heading to the same international stage.

With the global pageant still months away, such interactions are likely to continue as contestants begin preparations for their respective appearances.

What lies ahead for Kaziah and Misbah?

For Mejo, the immediate priority will be preparing for her first Miss Universe appearance and representing India internationally.

Arshad, meanwhile, will draw on her previous pageant experience as she prepares to represent Pakistan.

Both contestants have already established their identities beyond beauty pageants, with Mejo pursuing law and Arshad focusing on psychology and education.

Their journeys will now converge at the Miss Universe 2026 competition in Puerto Rico.

Conclusion

Miss Universe Pakistan 2026 Misbah Arshad has congratulated India’s newly crowned Miss Universe India Kaziah Liz Mejo, along with Thailand’s Tharina Botes. Arshad described the three queens as making “Team Asia stronger and more elegant” after their recent victories.

Mejo, a 19-year-old law student from Kerala, defeated 52 finalists in Jaipur to win the Miss Universe India 2026 crown. She will now represent India at the 75th Miss Universe pageant in Puerto Rico in November.

Arshad, who is 26 and studying psychology, will represent Pakistan at the same competition. Her public message of support for Mejo has added a friendly cross-border moment to the build-up to this year’s international pageant.