MIANWALI, Sept 18: The four men of Abakhel, convicted of double murder, could not secure their release because the mother of one of the deceased did not appear in the court on Wednesday.

The convicts have already paid Rs8 million as diyat to the victim party.

The heirs of both the deceased, except the mother of Nur Khan, got their statements recorded with district and sessions judge Rao Akbar Ali Khan. The court fixed Sept 24 as next date of hearing.

Reports say the Rs8 million diyat has become a bone of contention among the heirs of Nur Khan and Saeedullah Khan.

Nur Khan’s mother and her brother, Atta Muhammad, want a lion’s share whereas notables of the family want to pay them the share according to their relation with the dead men.

Initially, the four convicts had offered the hand of their eight daughters with Rs8 million as compensation to the relatives of the victim family.

Later, they withdrew the condition of eight girls when the government intervened after print and electronic media highlighted the issue.