For decades, the Pakistani household stood as an immovable fortress, built on four foundational pillars: sacred duty of procreation; quiet rigour of primary socialisation; faithful transfer of societal values; and unwavering commitment to the care of the vulnerable i.e. the infant, the elderly and the handicapped. But today, that fortress is weathering a storm of unprecedented proportions. The traditional family is no longer a static monument; it is an institution in a state of chaotic, high-speed transition.

We are witnessing a seismic shift in the domestic landscape. The sprawling joint family system has largely contracted into nuclear units, and increasingly, those units are splintering into single-parent households. Divorce rates are climbing, and the age of marriage is shifting upward for both genders - a trend most strikingly visible among women. The "ideal" family size is shrinking, childless couples are becoming a recognised demographic, and the life-long social contract of marriage is losing its........

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