Sara Sharif’s grandfather has vowed to fight to keep her siblings in his care in Pakistan, claiming it is the “safest place for them”. Sara, 10, was brutally tortured to death by her father and stepmother in Woking, Surrey, last August.
Muhammad Sharif said he will appeal to the High Court in Pakistan to stop the five siblings of the murdered schoolgirl from being returned to the UK, according to reports. The children, whose identities are protected by court order, remain in the city of Jhelum with efforts to return them to the UK still ongoing.
They were taken to Pakistan by Sara’s dad Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool and her uncle Faisal Malik on August 9, 2023. They arrived in the country a day before Sara was found dead in a bunk bed at the family home in Woking, Surrey.
She had been regularly beaten with a cricket bat and metal pole. Sharif, 42, and Batool, 30 will be sentenced this week after being convicted of the brutal murder at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, while Malik, 29, was also found guilty of causing or allowing her death.
Sara’s siblings were left in the care of their paternal grandfather but were taken into state care after being discovered by Pakistani police during efforts to locate Sharif, Batool and Malik. The kids are now back living their grandfather.
He told The Sunday Times said: “The legal proceedings concerning the custody of the children are ongoing in the Lahore High Court. They are enrolled in a reputable school, and we ensure their safety by personally transporting them to and from school.
“I am their guardian and this is the safest place for them to live in, they have an association with me and they are not willing to leave me. We will win the case.”
Her five siblings were last September made wards of court by Mr Justice Hayden, meaning they needed to be returned to the country, because such children cannot be removed from England and Wales without approval. Surrey County Council has applied to the High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, to begin efforts to bring the children back to the UK.
It remains unclear whether the court in Pakistan will authorise their return. The High Court in Lahore last week adjourned the latest hearing in the case until mid-January while the children remain in the care of their grandfather.
A Surrey County Council spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work our way through this highly complex situation, sensitively and carefully, working closely with all of the agencies concerned. Our overriding priority remains the wellbeing of the children and we request that their privacy is respected.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletterhere.