The older brother and half-siblings of the 10-year-old schoolgirl Sara Sharif, who was found dead at the home of her father and stepmother in August, have been made wards of court in this country.
Despite efforts by Surrey county council to secure their return to the UK, all five children, aged one to 13, remain in Pakistan where they were taken by their father, Urfan Sharif, and the mother of the younger four siblings, Beinash Batool, the day before Sara’s body was discovered by police on 10 August.
Reporting restrictions continue to apply to almost every detail of what has taken place in the family court proceedings in the high court in London involving the surviving children. But following a joint application by the Observer, the BBC and the Press Association, it can now be reported that Surrey county council has applied to a high court in Lahore, Pakistan to seek the return of the five siblings.
The court case in Lahore continues in parallel with the ongoing wardship proceedings in this country.
Sara’s father, her stepmother and her paternal uncle, Faisal Malik, travelled to Islamabad in Pakistan with the five children the day before her body was found under bedding at her home in Woking.
All three adults have been accused of killing the girl and pleaded not guilty to her murder at a hearing at the Old Bailey on 14 December. They also denied causing or allowing the death of a child.
Prosecutors told the court that Sara was found to have “a constellation of healed and healing injuries”.
During the wardship proceedings before Mr Justice Williams, Sharif appeared by video link from Belmarsh prison, London, while Batool appeared by video link from Bronzefield prison, Surrey.
Sara’s mother, Olga Sharif, whose surviving son remains in Pakistan, was not present during the proceedings. It has been previously reported in the press that she lost custody of Sara and her brother to their father in 2019.
Surrey County Council recently announced that a safeguarding review will examine the role of all the agencies that had worked with Sara’s family in the period leading up to her death.
While the girl’s father, stepmother and uncle have been remanded in custody charged with her murder and pending their trial which will take place in September 2024, there has been no suggestion that Sara’s mother had any involvement with her daughter’s death.
