Roma Riaz: Meet The Miss Universe Pakistan 2025
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| Credit: Roma Riaz / Instagram |
The event featured nine finalists competing for the crown, and Riaz emerged as the winner, with Jessica Zain Wilson placing as first runner-up.
This marked her debut in any beauty pageant, and she now prepares to represent Pakistan at the 74th Miss Universe competition on November 21, 2025, at the Impact Challenger Hall in Pak Kret, Nonthaburi, Thailand.
The Miss Universe Pakistan franchise, organized by the Yugen Group based in Dubai, began in 2023 to select the country's delegate for the international event.
According to Wikipedia, in its inaugural year, Erica Robin from Sindh claimed the crown and advanced to the top 20 at Miss Universe 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador.
The following year, Noor Xarmina from the Islamabad Capital Territory took the title but did not place at Miss Universe 2024 in Mexico City, Mexico.
Pakistan's entry into the Miss Universe arena followed decades without participation, as the nation had not sent a representative since the pageant's early years, reflecting shifts in cultural attitudes toward international beauty contests amid varying social and religious influences.
Born on August 12, 2000, in Lahore, Pakistan (she's now 25 years old), Roma Riaz spent her early years in her home country before her family relocated, leading her to grow up across Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom.
According to CONAN Daily, she holds British-Pakistani nationality and comes from a Punjabi Christian family that has remained supportive throughout her pursuits.
Her siblings include Ruby Riaz Sebastian, Roha Riaz, and Rohaid Riaz, and her sister played a key role in encouraging her to enter the Miss Universe Pakistan competition while they waited for a flight.
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| Credit: Roma Riaz / Instagram |
Riaz has kept much of her family life private, with her parents choosing to stay out of the public eye.
From a young age, she showed interest in fashion, photography, and stage performance, often experimenting with styling, makeup, and posing during school events.
Her confidence caught the attention of her family early on, setting the foundation for her later involvement in modeling and pageantry.
Riaz pursued her education in the United Kingdom, attending Aquinas College in Stockport, England, before enrolling at Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester.
She studied there from 2018 to 2021, earning a bachelor's degree in business, management, marketing, and related support services, and graduated in May 2021.
During her university years, she began traveling extensively, visiting Italy, Spain, and France in 2018, followed by Malta, Wales, and Morocco in 2019.
These experiences broadened her perspective, connecting her with diverse cultures and reinforcing her advocacy work.
After completing her studies, Riaz entered the professional world in the fashion industry, starting as a merchandising administrative assistant at boohoo in Manchester from 2022 to 2024.
She advanced to the role of assistant merchandiser at the same company from 2024 to 2025, handling tasks related to product management and market support.
More recently, she transitioned to a similar position as an assistant merchandiser at JD Sports Fashion, continuing her career in retail and merchandising.
Parallel to her corporate roles, Riaz built a presence as a model and digital creator, participating in fashion campaigns, editorial shoots, and brand collaborations.
Her bold fashion sense and on-stage personality helped her gain traction in Pakistan's modeling scene, leading to her selection for Miss Universe Pakistan, even though her height is lower than 5 feet 5 inches.
Riaz stands approximately 5 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a slim, athletic build, dark hair, and brown eyes.
Her physical attributes have drawn both praise and scrutiny, particularly in the context of South Asian beauty standards that have historically favored fairer skin tones and slimmer figures, influenced by colonial legacies and media portrayals dating back to the mid-20th century.
In Pakistan, beauty contests faced interruptions after the 1970s due to conservative shifts, but the revival through Miss Universe Pakistan in 2023 signaled a gradual opening to global platforms.
Her entry into pageantry came spontaneously, encouraged by her sister, and she applied without prior experience. After winning the national title, Riaz dedicated her achievement in an Instagram post:
“This crown is not just mine; it belongs to every girl who believes in herself and dreams beyond boundaries. I am honoured and proud to carry the heart, strength, and beauty of Pakistan to the Miss Universe stage.”
She also addressed doubts about her identity in an interview:
“My roots will always be Pakistani-Punjabi. People often told me, ‘You’re too dark to be Pakistani,’ or ‘You’re Christian, so you’re not really Pakistani.’ This crown is my way of saying, I am.” Further, she stated: “This wasn’t just about winning a crown; it was about answering everyone who questioned my identity. I want to be the change for beauty standards. Beauty isn’t one mould we all have to fit into. We need more representation.”
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| Credit: Roma Riaz / Instagram |
As a Christian, Riaz has emphasized her faith as a guiding force, praying before interviews and photoshoots, and crediting it for her progress.
She advocates for girls' education and women's empowerment, using her platform to promote access to learning opportunities, especially in regions where cultural barriers persist.
Her travels continued post-graduation, including trips to Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Belgium, Monaco, Portugal, and Austria in 2023, Spain in 2024, and the Maldives and Thailand in 2025 for pageant-related events.
These journeys have informed her views on diversity and representation.
Riaz remains unmarried, and no official details about romantic relationships or a boyfriend have surfaced, as she maintains privacy in her personal life while focusing on her career.
Her net worth in 2025 stands estimated at $50,000 to $120,000 USD, derived from modeling contracts, brand promotions, fashion shows, and sponsored social media content, with potential growth following her Miss Universe exposure.
She stays active on social media, including Instagram under the handle @romariaz_official, where she shares fashion reels, motivational content, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her pageant preparations. Her following has expanded rapidly since her crowning.
During the Miss Universe preliminaries in Thailand, as per an NDTV report, Riaz faced online criticism regarding her skin tone and body type, prompting her to respond on Instagram:
"I will not apologise for looking like my people." She elaborated: "I am Pakistani in my roots, in my values, and in every shade of my skin. My skin tone mirrors that of the women who built our homes, our families and carried our nation in their hearts."
This backlash echoed broader debates in South Asia, where colorism traces back to colonial-era preferences for lighter skin, perpetuated through advertising and entertainment since the 1940s. Riaz's stance has highlighted these issues, drawing support from international pageant communities.
At the Moonlight Sky Gala Welcome Dinner in Phuket, Thailand, Riaz wore a hand-embellished sari by designer Kanwal Malik, sparking discussions about cultural attire. Some questioned the choice, associating saris primarily with Indian fashion, but Riaz clarified its roots:
"It was born from the soil of the Indus Valley, the same land our ancestors called home. The sari is as Pakistani as the shalwar kameez."
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| Credit: Roma Riaz / Instagram |
In her national costume presentation, Riaz honored Pakistani craftsmanship, incorporating elements of Lahore's Sheesh Mahal legacy with mirrors and reflections.
For the swimsuit segment, where most of the other girls wore bikinis and revealing swimsuits, she chose a burkini as a tribute to Pakistan's culture and majority faith. After the preliminary competition, she draped the Pakistani flag around her shoulders and shared:
"I carried Pakistan in every look."
Her performances included a strong evening gown appearance and advocacy segments that resonated with audiences.
Riaz's participation comes at a time when Pakistan's beauty industry is rising, with increased global visibility through social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, and international events since the early 2000s.
Her story aligns with efforts to diversify representation, challenging norms established in the post-independence era when local pageants focused on traditional ideals.
She has handled controversies, including wardrobe debates and false rumors, with poise, earning respect from fans and peers.
As she competes among over 130 candidates, her focus remains on portraying Pakistan positively.
NOTE: We will keep this biography article updated to make sure you get the latest information about Roma Riaz on time.
