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.
