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Adults sought over 10-year-old Sara Sharif's death returning to UK

September 13, 2023
Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool, Faisal Malik. — courtesy Surrey Police
Urfan Sharif, Beinash Batool, Faisal Malik. — courtesy Surrey Police

LONDON — Three people who police want to speak to over the death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif are returning to the UK from Pakistan.

Sara's father, Urfan Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool and brother Faisal Malik, are expected to land later Wednesday.

Surrey Police said they wanted to speak to the trio, who were living with Sara before her death and left the UK the day before her body was found.

Post-mortem tests found Sara sustained "multiple and extensive injuries".

Sara's father, his wife and his brother are booked on a flight landing at London Gatwick tonight, having changed in Dubai.

They had flown to Dubai on a plane from an airport at Sialkot, in the Punjab province, early Wednesday morning.

It has not yet been confirmed that they boarded the flight in Dubai. Police in Pakistan said the three traveled of their own free will.

Sara's five siblings — aged between one and 13 — who traveled with the three adults to Pakistan remain in a government care facility in the country.

Sara's body was found at her home in Woking on Aug. 10.

She had been living at the property with her father Sharif, stepmother Batool, uncle Mr Malik and her siblings.

The three adults traveled from the UK to Pakistan on Aug. 9.

An international search was launched via Interpol for the trio, with police in Pakistan trying to locate them on behalf of detectives in Surrey.

Sharif and Batool released a video statement last week in which Batool said they had gone into hiding in Pakistan over fears police in the country would "torture or kill" them.

They also claimed members of their family had been harassed, and that they were willing to cooperate with the UK authorities.

Sharif did not speak in the video, while Batool read from a notebook. It was their first public comments since Sara's death.

In response, Jhelum police chief Mehmood Bajwa told the BBC the allegations of harassment and torture of family members were false.

He said if the family had any fears from the police they could go to court to seek protection. — BBC


September 13, 2023
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