This week, Lahore hosted a groundbreaking in-person matchmaking event organized by Muzz, a UK-based matrimonial app formerly known as Muzzmatch. This event marked Muzz’s first attempt to facilitate real-world connections in Pakistan, a country where traditional family-arranged marriages are the norm and dating apps often carry a stigma.
The event, which attracted around 100 young singles, is part of Muzz’s broader efforts to integrate Islamic values with modern matchmaking. The app, which caters exclusively to Muslim users, includes privacy features like blurring photos and allowing chaperones, balancing traditional values with contemporary needs.
Aimen, a 31-year-old attendee, shared her experience with a foreign news agency. After using the app for just two weeks, she was encouraged by her brother in the U.S. to attend the event. Although her mother, who was supposed to be her chaperone, couldn’t attend due to illness, Aimen was eager to meet potential partners face-to-face.
Muzz, which launched in Britain in 2015, now has over 1.5 million users in Pakistan, making it the app’s second-largest market after Morocco. The app’s goal is to combine traditional matchmaking methods with modern technology, addressing the unique challenges of dating in a conservative society.
Another event in Lahore, Annie’s Matchmaking Party, also aimed to challenge conventional matchmaking norms. Using an algorithm to pair 20 young professionals, the event sought to create meaningful connections. Despite some online criticism accusing the event of promoting a “hookup culture,” organizer Noor ul Ain Choudhary defended it as a safe and respectful space for singles to meet.
Participants like 22-year-old Abdullah Ahmed, who attended the Muzz event, were optimistic about these new approaches. Ahmed felt that he might have found a promising match and was excited about their shared interests, including a mutual love for Marvel movies.
