Population Welfare Minister Naseem Lodhi said on Wednesday that people should discourage cousin marriage in the best interest of the country.
| She said 70 percent of marriages were taking place among relatives in Pakistan which was increasing disability among children. |
Talking to a women delegation at her office, she said the early marriage was one of the causes of rapidly growing population. She said it was estimated that 22 percent girls were getting married at an early age and that every sixth girl was given in marriage at the age of 15 having longer childbearing period. She said 70 percent marriages were taking place among relatives in Pakistan which was adversely affecting child and motherÂ’s health and was also increasing disability among children.
The minister said PakistanÂ’s growth rate was very high and that it was everyoneÂ’s responsibility to keep the population growth rate at a reasonable level. |