The father, stepmother, and uncle of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, whose tragic death led to an international manhunt in Pakistan, have made their first appearance in a UK court. The trio was arrested upon their arrival in the UK from Dubai after spending a month in Pakistan.
Sara’s lifeless body was discovered at the family’s residence near Woking, southern England, on August 10. Following a post-mortem examination, it was revealed that she had suffered multiple and extensive injuries over a prolonged period.
Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, aged 41, his partner Beinash Batool, aged 29, and his brother Faisal Malik, aged 28, had traveled to Pakistan to visit relatives prior to the discovery of Sara’s body.
Appearing in a magistrate’s court in Guildford, southern England, the three individuals were flanked by police officers. They only spoke to confirm their personal information during the hearing. Earlier, Surrey Police had announced that all three have been charged with the murder of Sara Sharif, as well as causing or allowing the death of a child.
No pleas were entered during the brief hearing, and the defendants were remanded in custody by Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram. Their next court appearance is scheduled to take place at London’s Old Bailey on Tuesday.
According to Surrey Police, it is believed that the trio flew to Islamabad on August 9, the day before Sara’s body was found. Detectives learned about Sara’s death through an emergency call made from Pakistan by a man identifying himself as her father. The house was vacant, and an international manhunt was launched with the assistance of Interpol and Britain’s foreign ministry, who coordinated with Pakistani authorities.
On Monday, five of Sara’s purported siblings, aged between one and 13, who were taken to Pakistan by the adults, were found at the residence of Urfan Sharif’s father.
When Sara’s mother, Olga Sharif, a Polish national, identified her daughter’s body at the mortuary last month, she stated that she could barely recognize her due to the extensive injuries she had sustained. Olga and Urfan separated in 2015, and Sara and her older brother had been under their mother’s care until a family court ruling in 2019 granted custody to their father.
This tragic case has shocked the community and sparked a global conversation about child protection and domestic violence. The court proceedings will continue as the investigation unfolds to bring justice for Sara Sharif.