"I saw an ad for this event and thought, why not"
Pakistani singletons gathered to meet potential marriage partners in Lahore, the first attempt by a UK-based dating app to help people find spouses in person in the conservative country.
Typically, marriages in Pakistan are arranged and dating apps are generally frowned upon.
The event was organised by Muzz, formerly Muzmatch, a Muslim dating app.
Based in Ilford, Essex, Muzz was founded by Shahzad Younas and was launched in 2015.
Other smaller events are also emerging in Pakistan to challenge traditional matchmaking norms.
In 2022, Muzz faced criticism over its billboard campaign in Birmingham.
A billboard featured a man named Mohammad Malik and the slogan: “Save me from an arranged marriage.”
When it was later revealed to be a marketing campaign for the dating app, some people claimed it was “misleading”.
Despite the past criticism, the Lahore event was attended by around 100 Pakistani singletons.
Aimen said she used the app after being recommended by her US-based brother.
She explained: “I used the app for two weeks, but then I saw an ad for this event and thought, why not meet people in person?”
Aimen said her mother was supposed to accompany her as a chaperone but could not attend due to ill health.
Muzz has over 1.5 million users in Pakistan, its second-largest market after Morocco.
Moaz revealed he has been using Muzz for a year and said he was hopeful of finding a wife through the app.
He told Reuters: “I do get matches, but they have different priorities.”
Moaz admitted that women on the app expect him to involve his parents from the beginning.
He continued: “That is not (immediately) possible.”
Moaz also stressed the need of getting to know someone before taking the next big step.
Another event in Lahore, Annie’s Matchmaking Party used an algorithm to match 20 young professionals after a selection process and invited them to the meet.
Organiser Noor ul Ain Choudhary faced accusations that her event promoted a “hookup culture”.
But she argued that it aimed to provide a safe space for singletons to meet and connect.
She said:
“In Pakistan, we’ve had two options: biased arranged marriages or time-consuming dating apps with no guarantees.”
“Safety during meetings is also a concern.”
Abdullah Ahmed was optimistic about in-person events and said he was convinced he may have found his perfect match at the Muzz gathering.
He said: “The highlight was meeting an amazing girl.”
Abdullah and his match instantly clicked and swapped social media details.
He added: “We’re both Marvel fans! We’re already planning to catch the new Deadpool & Wolverine together.”
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