Grandfather of Sara Sharif has pledged to prevent the murdered schoolgirl’s siblings from returning to the UK, asserting that Pakistan is the ‘safest haven’ for them.
Muhammad Sharif, aged 69, contends that Sara’s five siblings have no desire to return to Britain, despite the UK Government actively seeking to repatriate them.
The children were taken to Pakistan by Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, who abandoned the country on August 9 last year, one day prior to the discovery of Sara’s lifeless body in a bunk bed at their family residence in Woking, Surrey.
Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, aged 30, along with her uncle Faisal, also fled to Pakistan but later returned to face trial for the murder of the schoolgirl, leaving the children behind.
Nevertheless, Sara’s siblings continue to reside in Jhelum under the supervision of their grandfather, while attempts to bring them back to the UK persist.
Their identities remain confidential under a court order.
The deceased 10-year-old endured significant trauma in the months leading up to her death, with a post-mortem revealing aminimum of 71 external injuries on her body at the time of her passing, making it nearly impossible to ascertain the precise injury that led to her demise.
Some of the maltreatment she endured from her father and stepmother involved her limbs being restrained and her head encased in a plastic bag secured with parcel tape while her relatives assaulted her with a cricket bat, a metal pole, and a rolling pin, choking her until her neck fractured, and inflicting burns with an iron as well as biting her.
Following her demise, Sara’s siblings were made wards of the court, signifying they cannot be removed from England or Wales without consent.
However, a petition by Surrey County Council to the High Court in Lahore for the children’s return to the UK is currently being contested by their grandfather, who feels optimistic about the outcome.
He remarked to The Sunday Times: ‘My five grandchildren live with me in Jhelum at my family residence. The children have not asked about their parents and are content living with us.’
‘The legal matters regarding the custody of the children are in progress within the Lahore High Court.’
‘They are registered at a reputable educational institution, and we ensure their safety by personally escorting them to and from school.’
‘I am their guardian and this is the safest environment for them; they maintain a bond with me and do not wish to leave my side. We will prevail in this case.’
Last week, the 69-year-old’s son Urfan and Batool were convicted of Sara’s murder at the Old Bailey.
Malik was adjudged guilty of causing or permitting her death.
Muhammad expressed his disbelief when his family abruptly appeared in Pakistan and headed straight to his residence. ‘When Urfan unexpectedly showed up at our home in Jhelum to notify me that Sara was gone, I could scarcely fathom it,’ he stated.
‘I had been eagerly awaiting her return with them, and the news I received was devastating. I was overwhelmed with sorrow, weeping and lamenting; it was a heart-wrenching moment… When law enforcement began their search, they departed early the next morning to evade capture.’
Despite the evidence against him, Muhammad remains convinced of his son’s innocence, instead attributing responsibility for Sara’s demise to stepmother Batool.
He conveyed to the Times: ‘Though I was oblivious to the degree of the abuse inflicted, I could tell that Batool, the stepmother, was not treating Sara properly… I cannot comprehend how she was subjected to brutal assaults. Beinash Batool’s treatment of Sara as a stepmother was highly inappropriate; she routinely reprimanded and struck her.’
A spokesperson for Surrey County Council commented: ‘We are diligently navigating this intricate situation, with sensitivity and caution, collaborating closely with all relevant agencies.
‘Our primary focus remains on the welfare of the children, and we kindly ask that their privacy is honored.’
Sharif, Batool, and Malik are set to be sentenced on Tuesday.
Will Forster, Liberal Democrat MP for Woking, where Sara resided, mentioned that hundreds of individuals attended a ‘deeply poignant’ vigil in her remembrance on Sunday evening.
‘Many are heartbroken by her loss,’ Mr. Forster stated on X.
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