Afshan, a professional matchmaker since 1992, set up a webportal a few years ago. Based inKarachi, the portal is aimed at middle class families looking for suitable proposals.

“Earlier we would put families in touch with each other through an exchange of phone numbers after we had filled out a form on their behalf. Now all we do is get the forms filled online and then people can search for matches according to their tastes. We do not offer any background checks nor do we take any guarantee of people putting up facts,” she says, adding, “For the nominal fee we charge, you can get access to scores of profiles.”

While traditional means are still quite popular Afshan feels that online matrimonial sites are an affective alternative that also allow easy access to a huge number of profiles. However, on the downside, one has to deal with fake profiles, and married men interested in taking second wives, or even one worse.

Afshan says that her site tries to deter men looking for second wives from signing up. “Many families would get upset if a married man approached them for their daughters or sisters. However, once the girls cross the 30-year mark, the same families are okay with much older married men too. But I try not to send married men anyone’s way as often scenes are created where the first wife shows up and abuses the family rather than her husband.” — S. J.