MIANWALI, May 18: Civil judge Malik Muhammad Ayaz in the presence of senior civil judge Tamer Hayat Gondal has recorded the statements of two vani victims here on Tuesday.

Victims Rukhsana and Rehana, daughters of Ahmed Nawaz Khan of Daliliwala village, Musakhel, told judges that they were forcibly made to accept two brothers Shafaullah (already married) and Ziaullah.

They further claimed that they had been made 'vani' in compensation to the allegation that their elder brother Mumtaz had relations with the wife of Shafaullah. The rival family even threatened to kill their only brother if they (two sisters) were not handed over to them.

On the advice of civil judges, Khalil Ahmed advocate, member of the Human Rights Commission from Karwan Community Development Organization, Kalabagh, has filed two 'dissolution of Nikah' suits in the family court of Muhammad Tariq Malik. The judge has fixed the hearing date on June 7.

As of now, the police could not register a case against the members of panchayat, who had issued a decree for the bartering of two innocent girls for the alleged crime of their brother.

Similarly, the police did not take action against Maulvi Akhtar Hussain of Qalander Khelanwala, who had read their Nikah on May 10. According to the 'nikah nama', around Rs500 had been fixed as 'Haq Mehr' for each girl.

The age of Rehana (14) was written as 16 years while the age of her sister Rukhsana (16) was quoted as 18. The name of former's groom was mentioned as Shafaullah (35) while the latter's Ziaullah (23).

Shafaullah had alleged that Mumtaz Khan, his business partner and a relative, had relations with his wife. Shafaullah's father, a more influential figure, alleged that accused Mumtaz called a panchayat, which had decided that two sisters of the accused should be given as compensation.

Musakhel UC Nazim Zahoor Khan had also advised Shafaullah and his father to desist from their evil designs, but to no avail. Later, the mother and maternal uncles had contacted notables of the area who met DPO Dr Shakeel Ahmed Mirza and apprised him of the situation.

Taking an immediate action, the DPO rescued the girls only two days before their handing over to 'husbands'. All the same, the rescue is a temporary phase because the girls are still living in the same atmosphere where there is a constant threat to the life of their only brother. Moreover, the family court suit may take months to dissolution of their Nikah.

The police have no special powers to arrest Nikah khawan or panchayat members as everything seems to be settled with the consent of both the parties. Victim girls and the area people are looking for the intervention of some high-ups like Punjab governor, the chief minister and the chief justices of supreme court or high court.