Rising Cousin Marriages in Pakistan Contributing to Genetic Disorders, Experts Reveal

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Experts from Dow University of Health Sciences revealed at the Swiss-Pakistan workshop on "Genomic Disorder and Recessive Disorder" that the increasing rate of cousin marriages in Pakistan is leading to a rapid rise in genetic diseases. According to the experts, over 65% of all marriages in the country are cousin marriages, with some communities reporting rates as high as 85%.

Professor Saeed Qureshi, Vice Chancellor of Dow University, stated that cultural, social, and economic factors are driving this trend, significantly increasing the risk of genetic diseases such as thalassemia, microcephaly, and other hereditary conditions in children. He further explained that these conditions are particularly common in families where cousin marriages are frequent.