MIANWALI, July 24: Two teenaged girls amidst fear, threats and sobs were married to the rivals of their fathers on Wednesday under a deal by which four men on death row had won pardon in exchange for Rs8 million and eight girls to be wedded to the men of the deceased’s family.

The girls, whose ages are 14 and 15, were married to 77-year-old Atta Mohammad Khan and a 55-year-old father of six, whose name could not be known, respectively.

The houses of the brides presented a mourning scene as shrieks and sounds of cry were heard when Nikah was performed in the morning and Rukhsati took place in the evening.

Sardar Khan, Mohammad Akram Khan, Mohammad Ashraf Khan, and Asmatullah Khan are the convicts in a double murder case, who are waiting to be hanged in the central jail of Mianwali.

Atta, the brother of the deceased, “selected” the 14-year-old daughter of Sardar Khan for himself. Atta’s nephew chose the 15-year-old daughter of Mohammad Akram Khan.

The relatives and children of the convicts had approached the heirs of the deceased through the influential men of the district, particularly Malik Asad Khan, Nawab of Kalabagh; Obaidullah Khan Shadikhel, a former MNA; Taj Kund, a former MPA; and Ulema, to reach a compromise. These men brokered the deal under which two of the eight girls were to be married off on Wednesday.

The brother of convict Asmatullah Khan has thus solemnized Nikah of his two daughters, aged 3 and 5 years. Ismail Khan, the cousin of convict Sardar Khan, sacrificed his teenaged daughter.

However, Mohammad Aslam Khan, a teacher, saved his little daughter by paying an additional amount of Rs150,000 to the deceased’s family.