MIANWALI, July 26: The 18-year-old student, one of the six girls of Abbakhel village rescued by the administration from the age-old ‘Wani’ tradition, demanded on Friday eradication of this social malaise.

Talking to provincial law minister Rana Ijaz Ahmad, Waziraan Khatoon, the FA student, said she had agreed to marry Ata Muhammad, nearly 80, just to save the life of her father and other accused.

Hailing the role of the government, she said the Punjab governor had intervened timely and set a precedence by saving the girls from becoming scapegoats. The girl was all praise for the press which, she said, played its best role in giving the issue its due.

The girl requested the minister to help reduce the Diyat of Rs8 million as the family had become pauper after selling their lands and valuables.

The law minister expressed his inability to resolve the monetary strife, claiming the matter had already been settled.

When contacted, the girl’s mother Sardaran Khatoon, lying on bed due to paralysis, told this correspondent that she was elated at seeing her daughter rescued. She said she made the decision with a heavy heart only to save lives of her husband and others.

“After all, no mother could take such a decision willingly,” said the relieved mother.

Meanwhile, the Abbakhel village, some 12km from here on the Mianwali-Talagang Road, wore a happy look on Friday. The government high-ups, rights activists and newsmen came in hordes and smelt an air of relief.

Later talking to newsmen, the law minister said the government was mulling over making a law for the eradication of the ‘Wani’ tradition.

Grooms, Ata Mohammad Khan, 80, and Mehr Khan, 55, were found missing when the newsmen tried to take their version.

This correspondent interviewed one of the convicts’ brother, whose two minor daughters, Iqra and Ifra, were among the girls to be handed over as compensation. “Although, I dislike the tradition, I took the decision to save my dear ones,” he said.

Complainant Abdullah Khan, son of slain Noor Khan, told this correspondent that he had confirmed the pardon of the four accused after getting Rs8 million Diyat. He said his camp had forgiven the six girls.

To a question, he said his uncle Ata Muhammad Khan was a ‘strict man’ and he made such demands (for girls) to make life tough for the arbitrators. On the accused party’s request, he claimed they accepted Rs8 million and 12 girls as ‘Wani.’

He claimed he forgave his share of six girls but his uncle insisted on getting girls. On the demand and then getting high compensation which is against the tradition of the area, he claimed they had done all to uproot the old enmity and to become brothers again.

He said he had become penniless after spending Rs5 to 6 million for the murder case pending with the court for the last 18 years, adding the compensation money would come in handy for him in the hour of trial, he claimed.

On the barbaric tradition, Abdullah said it had turned a number of rivalries into blood relations. He claimed the marriage of two girls was a mismatch. However, he said the chapter was now closed once and for all.

A majority of the people in the village called for a permanent end to the tradition.