100 singles gather in Lahore to find spouses

A UK-based matrimonial app arranged meetings of ‘potential life partners’ in Lahore, said a report Saturday. Citing a foreign news agency, it said the event was organised by Muzz, formerly Muzzmatch, which says its app is based on Islamic etiquette.

The report, which mentioned the views and comments of the participants, said that 100 singles came to find their future spouses at the Lahore moot. Such events are also emerging in the country to challenge traditional matchmaking norms. 

Aimen, a 31-year-old woman who did not want to be further identified, said she used the app on the recommendation of her US-based brother. "I used the app for two weeks, but then I saw an ad for this event and thought, why not meet people in person?". She said that her mother would have accompanied her as a chaperone but couldn't attend because of ill health. 

Muzz, launched in 2015 in Britain, which also has a sizeable Muslim population, has over 1.5 million users in Pakistan, its second-largest market after Morocco.  Moaz, a 27-year-old man, said he has been using Muzz for a year and that he was hopeful of finding a wife through the app.

"I do get matches, but they have different priorities," he said adding that girls on the app expect him to involve his parents from the beginning. “That is not (immediately) possible," he said, stressing the need to get to know someone before taking the next big step.