VEHARI, Sept 19: Frustrated over aging and family’s failure to find a suitable match, four daughters of a farmer committed suicide on Thursday by jumping into the Mailsi Link Canal, 50km from here.

Their fifth sister who also jumped into the gigantic water channel was however rescued by area people.

Mailsi police said Zenat, Faiza, Nazia, Munira and Pamo (between 25 and 40) belonged to Mauza Hambalwala of Kehror Pakkha tehsil, in Lodhran district.

They were on way to Bahawalpur by public transport to see their uncle. At Mailsi Syphon they left the vehicle and jumped into the canal.

Onlookers managed to rescue Pamo who was admitted to Kehror Pakka THQ Hospital where she was unconscious. Bodies of her sisters were yet to be retrieved.

Quoting relatives, Mailsi DSP Daud Husnain said the girls were frustrated over marriage delay. Their father Bashir Panwar, who had earlier married two of his seven daughters, had failed to arrange their marriage.

Mailsi Sadar SHO Mohammad Anwar said though Panwar was a small farmer facing financial issues as well, his clan was used to delaying marriages of their girls for different reasons.

He said since rescue teams faced difficulties in searching the bodies, the irrigation department had been asked to reduce water discharge into the canal from Sidhnai Barrage.

Pamo who returned to her senses late night, told the DSP that their father himself had contracted some secret marriages but was least bothered to marry his daughters off.

Bashir Panwar denied that his daughters were going to their uncle in Bahawalpur. He said they had got money from him to visit the link canal for a picnic.