Cousin marriages remain common in Punjab, with nearly six in every 10 ever-married women having married a blood relative, according to a new Gallup Pakistan analysis. ALSO READ Punjab Launches Permanent Unique IDs for StudentsThe study found that 61.7% of women had married a blood relative, while nearly half of all marriages, or 49%, were between first cousins. Among women who married at age 26 or older, 51% had married a blood relative. In rural Punjab, 65.7% of women reported marrying within the family, compared with 54% in urban areas. According to the report, improved access to education and delayed marriage are associated with a gradual decline in cousin marriages in Punjab.