Marriages between first cousins are common in Pakistan, with an estimated 60-70% of unions occurring within families, significantly higher than the global average. This practice, deeply ingrained for generations, has drawn renewed attention following the marriage of Pakistan's Army Chief's daughter to her first cousin. While culturally accepted, health experts express concern, citing studies that link cousin marriages to nearly double the risk of birth defects and increased prevalence of inherited genetic disorders like thalassaemia and cystic fibrosis. Approximately 30-40% of infant deaths in Pakistan are reportedly linked to consanguineous marriages.