Azhar Haidri initially refused to marry 28-year-old Humaira Qasim - the woman to whom he has been engaged since childhood - because he wanted to marry the woman with whom he had fallen in love, 21-year-old Rumana Aslam. But the decision threatened to split his family apart since arranged marriages are often customary in Pakistan.

"I gave this offer that I will marry both of them," Haidri told The Associated Press ahead of his first marriage to Humaira on Sunday in Multan. "Both the girls agreed." He is scheduled to marry Rumana on Monday.

Several Pakistani television stations plan to carry the nuptials live given the unique circumstances. For their part, both woman say they think the compromise is a good one and they plan to live as sisters and friends.

"I am happy that we both love the same man," Rumana said. Haidri - an herbal medicine practitioner - counts himself lucky.

"It is also very rare that two women are happily agreeing to marry one man," he said.