Abstract

We have analysed 17 Y-chromosomal STR markers (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385a/b, DYS438, DYS439, DYS437, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, and Y-GATA-H4) for a British Pakistani population. According to the 2010 census, there are more than 1.2 million British Pakistanis in the UK. Substantial numbers of Pakistani immigrants arrived in the UK in the 1950s and 60s and settled mostly in Yorkshire, Lancashire, and in cities such as Birmingham, Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle-on-Tyne and Glasgow in Scotland [1]. By 2001, British Pakistanis were mostly concentrated in the North, West Midlands and London [1] and [2]. Pakistani immigrants came as students to study in British universities, skilled medical doctors to fill medical professional shortage in NHS and as factory workers due to labour shortages in the UK [1]. This population has adopted the life and culture of the UK, however, consanguinity is high [3] and [4].