Pak family in UK pips Indian counterpart as world's biggest albino clan

London, Mar 27 (ANI): A Pakistani origin Muslim clan from England has been found to be the world's biggest albino family, and not the Pullan family from India, as it was reported earlier this month.

White-skinned couple Aslam Parvez, 55, and wife Shameem, 56, are the eldest of the 16-strong clan from Coventry. All of them live within five miles of one another, and are white-skinned with white hair.

They have difficulty seeing in strong light and are unable to sit in bright sunshine for more than ten minutes because their skin burns so easily.

All of the couple's six children - daughters Naseem, 33, Mukadas, 27, and Musarat, 20, and sons Ghulam, 31, Haider Ali, 29, and Mohammed, 18 - have inherited the genetic condition.

Two of Aslam's brothers and a sister have the condition too.

His three siblings have five albino children between them - making them the biggest albino family in the world.

Revealing a fascinating insight into their lives, eldest son Ghulam told how, despite difficulties as they grew up, they have never let their albinism get them down.

"Growing up was hard for all of us. No one wants to look so different and with our pale skins and white hair we really stood out," the Sun quoted him as saying.

"Of course, we were teased when we went out of the house. And even now if we all go out together our unusual looks make people stop and stare.

"But people in the local area are used to us and we have always been accepted by the Muslim community.

"Perhaps having this condition has made us particularly close as a family. But thankfully, as there's so many of us, we've never felt lonely," he said.

It was reported earlier that the largest albino family was the ten-strong Pullan family from Delhi, India.

But now Guinness World Records have told the Parvez family they would be verifying that they had the record.

The term albinism is derived from the Latin word albus, meaning white. It affects around one in 17,000 people from all ethnic backgrounds.

For a baby to be born albino, both parents must carry the albino gene. If both parents do carry the gene, there is a one in four chance that their baby will inherit the condition.

Children born to parents who do not have the condition are often carriers too. (ANI)