Former Miss World and Bollywood queen Aishwarya Rai will visit Pakistan by the end of this month as a goodwill ambassador to raise funds for the recently-launched campaign against breast cancer.

The campaign known as 'Pink Ribbon' (to create awareness about breast cancer) has been launched by an NGO, the Women Empowerment Group, last month.

Rai is visiting at the invitation of the group, local daily Dawn quoted Omar Aftab, a representative of the 'Pink Ribbon' as saying.

He said Rai had shown 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 in Pakistan for two days. During her stay, she would attend a dinner in Islamabad for fund raising. Aftab said Cherie Blair, wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, is also expected to visit Pakistan in March for the awareness campaign.

Pink Ribbon is an international symbol for 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 fighting against breast cancer.

According to a study of the Pakistan Medical Association, 2003, Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer among Asian population.

More than 35,000 women with breast cancer reportedly approached the Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital in 2004.