Mariyah Moten Bio Data
After placing in the Top 5 in the Miss Pakistan pageant she was sent off to represent Pakistan at the Miss Tourism Queen International pageant in 2006, where she won the Miss Charity Title among 87 other contestants. Later that year she competed in the Miss Bikini of the Universe pageant which was held in Behai, China. This created an outrage among the Muslim community in Pakistan and all around the world. This was the first time a Pakistani girl has participated in a Bikini pageant representing the Islamic Nation. Due to this controversy, Mariyah Moten won the Best In Media/Miss Press title for being the most photographed and interviewed contestant in the entire pageant.
A year later in 2007 Mariyah Moten participted in another pageant, Miss Asia International 2007 where she won 2nd Runner up, a huge victory for Pakistan since this was the first time Pakistan placed in the Top 3 at an international beauty contest.
Mariyah Moten continues to model in the US and has attended the well-known New York Film Academy Acting School to pursue her career as an actress. Mariyah Moten graduated from University of Houston in 2008 with honors from the renowned hotel and restaurant management program at the Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.
Controversy
In 2006, Mariyah Moten received criticism from Pakistani government officials for using the title Miss Pakistan Bikini. This was the first time a Pakistani girl participated in an international bikini beauty pageant overcoming the traditional barriers of the conservative Islamic nation. Muslim leaders showed outrage when she won Best in Media. “We have asked our missions in Washington and Beijing to investigate this because it is against our policy, culture and religion.” Senior Culture Ministry official Abdul Hafeez Chaudhry said. “She is an American passport holder. She is an American national of Pakistani origin, so how did she get entry as a Pakistani?” Chaudhry’s statements were never followed through on although they brought about more controversy in the media and threats to stop Pakistani passport holders living abroad their legal rights to travel within Pakistan without the use of a VISA. Again, threats that never came to fruition. Miss Bikini of Universe was held in Beihai, China where she was awarded Miss Press/Best in Media Attention for being the most photographed and interviewed girl in the entire pageant.
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