Dozens of young singles gathered this week in Lahore for a pioneering in-person matchmaking event organized by Muzz, a UK-based matrimonial app formerly known as Muzzmatch.

This event marks the first attempt by the app to facilitate real-world meetings in Pakistan, a country where marriages are traditionally arranged by families and dating apps often face stigma.

The Lahore event, which drew around 100 attendees, was part of Muzz’s efforts to blend Islamic etiquette with modern matchmaking. The app, restricted to Muslim users, features privacy options such as blurring pictures and allowing chaperones, adhering to traditional values while adapting to contemporary needs.

Aimen, a 31-year-old participant, shared her experience with the foreign news agency. She had been using the app for two weeks before deciding to attend the event, prompted by her brother in the U.S.

Though her mother, who would have acted as her chaperone, could not attend due to illness, Aimen was keen on meeting potential partners in person.

Muzz, launched in Britain in 2015, now boasts over 1.5 million users in Pakistan, its second-largest market after Morocco.

The app aims to bridge traditional matchmaking with modern technology, addressing the challenges of dating in a conservative society.

Another event in Lahore, Annie's Matchmaking Party, also aimed to challenge conventional matchmaking norms by using an algorithm to pair 20 young professionals.

Despite criticism online suggesting it promoted a "hookup culture," organizer Noor ul Ain Choudhary defended the event as a safe space for singles to connect.

Participants like Abdullah Ahmed, 22, expressed optimism about these new approaches. Ahmed, who attended the Muzz event, felt he might have found a promising match and was excited about their shared interests, including a mutual passion for Marvel movies.