Pakistani taxi app offers ride with marriage matchmaker

A Pakistan app- based taxi service has launched an unusual add- on, offering passengers the chance to share their ride with a marriage matchmaker.

Users in Pakistan woke on Wednesday to an unexpected notification from Careem – an Uber- like taxi hailing app popular in Muslim countries: Have a “rishta aunty” accompany you during your ride.

Rishta aunties, as marriage matchmakers are known in South Asia, keep detailed records of eligible men and women – from education level and salary, to height, weight and even skin tone – and will set you up with your future spouse, for a fee.

Usually portrayed in popular culture as bespectacled women with a clipboard of names and an ancient Nokia mobile, the aunties have had an update thanks to Careem.

The rishta service – which has only been rolled out for two days in two cities in Pakistan – quickly had the country’s vocal Twitterati on overdrive.

“Careem is the halal Tinder now, except that there’s a rishta aunty who’ll do the swiping for you,” joked Twitter user Crazee Gentleman.

But many were speculating that it was just a marketing ploy by the taxi app service.

“Driving with rishta aunty a success for @ CareemPAK already, it’s 11: 33 AM and half the marketers in my list are talking about it,” wrote Amnaa Tariq on Twitter.

Careem Pakistan was quick to defend the move as a legitimate service.