Mehwish Hayat

Mehwish Hayat is one of Pakistan's leading actresses. Coming from a well-known show business family she has been acting since an extremely early age. She is acknowledged as being the current reigning box office queen having delivered five consecutive hits in a row. From playing a dancer in her first film to a simple Punjabi girl in her last movie, she is known for pushing the boundaries and taking on challenging roles. Not only is she the most commercially successful actress in Pakistan she has also shown herself as a major acting talent by appearing in unconventional roles in several award-winning short films. In 2019, she was honored by the President of Pakistan with a National Civil Award, the Tamgha - I - Imtiaz (Medal of Excellence) for her contribution to the Arts and Pakistani Cinema. That year, The Muslim Vibe, recognized her as one of the top 5 most influential Muslim women in the world. As a model, she has appeared in adverts for some of the world's leading brands, from telecoms to beauty products. Mehwish is one of the most socially active celebrities in South Asia and the Middle East. Fearless and bold, she has spoken out on global media outlets about human rights abuses and the representation of Muslims and Pakistanis in mainstream media. She has been championing the cause of diversity and inclusivity in media for many years. In 2019, she was appointed Ambassador for the Rights of the Girl Child by the Ministry of Human Rights in Pakistan. As an Ambassador for the global charity Penny Appeal, she has been tackling the issue of education in Pakistan and campaigning to build schools in rural Sind. This year she will launch her ambitious Global initiative, Women's Leadership Exchange. She will be bringing together thought leaders and noteworthy women to address issues that matter to women and finding a solution through a manifesto for change. She sits on the board of the Pakistan National Council of Arts and is a member of the official Oscar selection committee in Pakistan. She is also an accomplished singer, having sung several popular songs for television including appearing on the prestigious Coke Studio and she has undertaken several sell-out music tours in the US playing to arenas across the country.