Many young singles came together in Lahore, Pakistan, this week to meet potential spouses, marking the initial effort by a UK matrimonial app to assist people in finding partners in person in the traditional Islamic country.
In Pakistan, marriages are typically organized by parents seeking appropriate matches for their children within their communities or extended family members. Dating apps are commonly criticized and there is still widespread gender segregation in social and work environments in the nation, with a population of 240 million people.
The Lahore event was planned by Muzz, previously known as Muzzmatch, and claims its app is developed according to Islamic manners. The application is only available for Muslim individuals, and offers the choice to blur images for all matches while also allowing chaperones to supervise meetings, in line with traditional beliefs.
Smaller events are also appearing in the country to question traditional matchmaking norms.
In spite of previous online criticism, around 100 people attended the Muzz event.
A 31-year-old woman named Aimen, who preferred not to reveal her identity, shared that she downloaded the app based on her brother’s suggestion who lives in the U.S.
She said that she had been using the app for a couple of weeks before coming across an advertisement for an event, which prompted her to consider meeting people face-to-face.
She mentioned that her mother would have come along as a chaperone but had to miss out due to being unwell.
Muzz was established in the UK in 2015, where there is a significant Muslim community, and has more than 1.5 million users in Pakistan, its second biggest market following Morocco.
Moaz, a man who is 27 years old, expressed that he has been utilizing Muzz for twelve months and is optimistic about meeting a potential spouse on the platform.
He mentioned getting matches, but they have varied priorities. He also mentioned that girls on the app require him to involve his parents from the start.
“He said it’s not possible right now,” emphasizing the importance of getting to know someone first before moving forward.
An algorithm was utilized at Annie’s Matchmaking Party in Lahore last week to match 20 young professionals, who were selected through a process, and were then invited to the event.
Noor ul Ain Choudhary, the organizer who is 30 years old, received online criticism for her event being accused of promoting a “hookup culture”. She argued that the goal was to create a secure environment for individuals to meet and establish connections.
In Pakistan, we have only two choices: biased arranged marriages or dating apps that are time-consuming and uncertain. “Meetings’ safety is also something to worry about,” she stated.
At the Muzz gathering, 22-year-old Abdullah Ahmed was enthusiastic about in-person events and believed he may have met his ideal partner.
He remarked with enthusiasm that the best part was meeting a fantastic girl, mentioning they connected right away and exchanged social media information. “We both love Marvel!” “We’re already making arrangements to see the new Deadpool & Wolverine movie together,” he mentioned.
