In Karachi, Sober Raves offers Gen Z a new kind of nightlife

By Ariba Shahid

KARACHI, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Twenty-somethings flowed under the neon lights at Karachi’s indoor sports club, dancing between glittering courts and DJ booths with cups of coffee and iced tea in hand.

no alcohol No medicine. And the music ended promptly at 10 p.m.

In Pakistan, a growing number of Gen Z are opting for “sober socializing”, joining a global trend as young people increasingly opt for healthier lifestyles.

Here, though, the shift has more appeal: Drinking alcohol is illegal for Muslims, who make up the bulk of Pakistan’s population.

Partying without a pour

They are increasingly turning their backs on the party scene of the past, which often involved underground venues due to the presence of alcohol and drugs and the risks of running from the authorities.

“In Karachi, we don’t have many spaces that exist socially,” said Zia Malik, a software entrepreneur who attended the event. “It gives you without hiding.”

“I’ve visited some underground parties,” he added. “You can’t feel safe.”

At the Sports Club, crowd numbers were capped. Between breaks in dancing, revelers played paddle, a cross between squash and tennis popular in Pakistan.

The organizer of the event, experiential platform 12xperience, received approval from the local government to host a public party without alcohol.

Creating a safe space

Cameras — both wall-mounted and on drones — monitor the crowd to enforce the alcohol-free policy and prevent fights or harassment, organizers said.

“Without guardrails, you’re just recreating the risks that people are trying to escape,” said Mohammad Usman, founder of 12xperience.

“It’s about creating a space where people feel safe,” he said. “Without alcohol, without drugs, without chaos.”

Events like this are popping up in increasing numbers in the city of about 19 million, mainly at sports facilities and coffee shops, but also in places like art galleries and co-working spaces.

Euromonitor data shows Pakistan’s soft drinks market growing by more than 27% between 2020 and 2025, and hot drinks – a category that includes coffee – expanding by a similar margin.

Although this reflects a global trend of less drinking among young people, Pakistan’s change has outpaced mature markets such as the United States and the United Kingdom, where non-alcoholic beverage consumption has only modestly increased.

Partying within Islamic boundaries

Sociologist Kausar Parveen says the change shows how young Pakistanis are putting a modern spin on accepting the country’s Islamic norms, rather than a sign that they are rejecting them.

“They have not gone beyond religion, but are reimagining how social life happens,” said Parveen, an associate professor at the University of Karachi.

Women-only events are also growing in popularity, where gender mixing carries a cultural stigma.

“For many women, nightlife comes with conditions of who’s there, how late it goes, how visible it is,” said comedian and influencer Amatul Bajwa, who was hosting a women-only desi music night at her cafe, Third Culture Coffee, in Karachi.

“It was about creating a space where women could relax without having to negotiate those things.”

Options are open to women only

Pakistani and Indian music played as the women danced unreservedly to desi tracks, and the event ended sharply at 9 p.m.

“There’s no need to worry about who’s watching,” said Fatima, who did not share her last name because her parents didn’t know she was in attendance. “An early end makes it easier to get home.”

Bajwa has also hosted several coffee raves for both sexes, and recently hosted a silent disco at her cafe, but says there is a particular demand for women-only events.

Price is an issue: tickets typically cost between 3,000 and 7,000 Pakistani rupees ($10.73 to $25.04) while entry-level monthly salaries range from 30,000 to 40,000 rupees, making a night a significant expense.

Still, sober raves remain an important — and highly visible — outlet for Pakistan’s youth.

At the sports club, well-dressed lifestyle bloggers and social media influencers posted photos and videos in real time, something impossible at parties involving alcohol.

“It’s more accessible to the public,” said Shah Zaib, a 27-year-old data analyst attending his third such event.

“I like the fact that it’s not underground anymore.”

($1 = 279.5000 Pakistani Rupees)

(Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi: Editing by Kevin Buckland)