By Ariba Shahid
KARACHI, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Under neon lights at an indoor sports club in Karachi, twenty-somethings drifted between glowing courts and a DJ booth, dancing with coffee cups and iced tea in hand.
No alcohol. No drugs. And the music ended promptly at 10 pm.
In Pakistan, a growing number of Gen Z are opting for "sober socialising", joining a global trend as young people increasingly opt for healthier lifestyles.
Here, though, the shift carries an added appeal: Drinking alcohol is illegal for Muslims, who make up the vast majority of Pakistan's population.
PARTYING WITHOUT THE POUR
They are increasingly turning their backs on the party scene of the past, which often involved underground venues because of the presence of alcohol and drugs, and the risk of running afoul of authorities.
"In Karachi, we don't have many places to just exist socially," said Zia Malik, a software entrepreneur attending the event. "This gives you that without having to hide."
"I have visited some underground parties," he added. "You cannot feel secure."
At the sports club, crowd numbers were capped. Between breaks in dancing, revellers played padel, a cross between squash and tennis popular in Pakistan.
The event's organiser, experiential platform 12xperience, had local government approval to host a public party without alcohol.
CREATING A SAFE SPACE
Cameras - both wall-mounted and on drones - monitored the crowd to enforce the no-alcohol policy and to deter fights or harassment, organisers said.
"Without guardrails, you're just recreating the same risks people are trying to escape," said Mohammed Usman, founder of 12xperience.
"This is about creating a space where people feel safe," he said. "Without alcohol, without drugs, without chaos."
Events like this are popping up across the city of nearly 19 million in growing numbers, mainly at sports facilities and coffee shops, but also at venues such as art galleries and co-working spaces.
Euromonitor data shows Pakistan's soft drinks market grew more than 27% between 2020 and 2025, and hot drinks - a category that includes coffee - expanded by a similar margin.
While that mirrors a global trend in young people drinking less, Pakistan's shift has outpaced mature markets such as the United States and Britain, where non-alcoholic beverage volumes have grown only modestly.
PARTYING WITHIN ISLAMIC BOUNDARIES
Sociologist Kausar Parveen said the change shows how young Pakistanis have put a modern spin on adapting to the country's Islamic norms, rather than being a sign they are rejecting them.
"They are not going beyond religion, but reframing how social life happens," said Parveen, an associate professor at the University of Karachi.
Women-only events are also increasing in popularity, in a country where gender mixing carries cultural stigmas.
"For a lot of women, nightlife comes with conditions of who's there, how late it runs, how visible it is," said comedian and influencer Amtul Bajwa, who was hosting the women-only desi music night at her cafe in Karachi, Third Culture Coffee.
"This was about creating a space where women could relax without negotiating those things."
OPTIONS OPEN ONLY TO WOMEN
Pakistani and Indian music played as women danced without reservations to desi tracks, and the event ended at 9pm sharp.
"You don't have to worry about who's watching," said Fatima, who did not share her last name because her parents did not know she was attending. "Ending early makes it easier to get home."
Bajwa has also hosted a number of coffee raves for both genders, and recently held a silent disco at her cafe, but said there is particular demand for women-only events.
Price is something of an issue: Tickets typically cost between 3,000 and 7,000 Pakistani rupees ($10.73 to $25.04) in a country where entry-level monthly salaries tend to be 30,000 to 40,000 rupees, making a single night out a significant expense.
Even so, sober raves have become a significant - and very 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 unlikely at parties involving alcohol.
"It's more available to the masses," said Shah Zaib, a 27-year-old data analyst attending his third such event.
"I love the fact that it's not underground anymore."
($1 = 279.5000 Pakistani rupees)
(Reporting by Ariba Shahid in Karachi: Editing by Kevin Buckland)
