Cousin marriages are far more common in Pakistan than we know
LAHORE: Cousin marriages are far more common in Pakistan than we know, spanning across all social classes. The reasons include preserving business prospects or the family inheritance, the ease at which the marriage can proceed, and the fact that a fraction of Asian households are still super conservative and getting married to an outsider is still an alien idea, to which the elders of the family are mostly seen at odds with.
However, not just in Pakistan but in other South Asian countries like India, traditional or arranged marriages are still prevalent and a majority still submits to the wishes of their parents and elders when it comes to choosing a life partner. However, parents must realise that times have changed. Moreover, speaking of religion, Islam allows one to marry as per their own will and deems it important for elders too to let the younger-ones decide for themselves. Worst is that in rural populace, free-will marriage is still very much a crime where couples are often killed for the same. Before the law, the parents must understand the concept of free-will marriage and let their children marry as per their own will.
Noor Faris
Published in The Express Tribune, July 17th, 2018.
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