LAHORE, Oct 4: Former Miss World and Indian film actress Aishwariya Rai will visit Pakistan by the end of this month as a goodwill ambassador to raise funds for the recently launched pink ribbon (breast cancer) awareness campaign.

The campaign has been launched by an NGO, the Women Empowerment Group, last month. The pink ribbon is an international symbol of support for breast cancer awareness for more than 10 years. Every year in October, citizens are urged to wear pink ribbons in honour of the women who are fighting against breast cancer.

Ms Rai is coming on the invitation of the group. A representative of the NGO, Omar Aftab, told Dawn that Ms Rai had shown a deep concern over the increasing number of breast cancer patients in Pakistan and lack of awareness about the disease.

The former Miss World, he said would stay here for two days. During her stay, she would attend a dinner in Islamabad for fund raising. Mr Aftab said another celebrity Cherie Blair, the wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is also expected to visit Pakistan in March for the awareness campaign.

According to a study of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2003, Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer among the Asian population. More than 35,000 women with breast cancer reportedly approached the Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital in 2004.

According to a study, almost every fifth woman develops breast cancer after 40 years of age. About 77 per cent of invasive breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. The cancer claims 40,000 deaths (43.7 per cent) per year in Pakistan. With early diagnosis and treatment, a patient's chances of surviving is 90 per cent.