By James Simons-
Police in Pakistan are searching for the father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif in connection with her death, officers in the eastern Punjab province said on Saturday.
Tragic Sara(pictured) was found dead at her home in Woking, Surrey, on 10 August.
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Police in the UK earlier identified her father, Urfan Sharif, his partner, Beinash Batool, and Mr Sharif’s brother, Faisal Shahzad Malik, as people they want to speak to as part of a murder investigation.
Mr Sharif travelled to the Pakistani capital of Islamabad with Ms Batool and Mr Malik on 9 August, they day before their daughter was found dead, making him a person of interest to police.
His family home is in Jhelum, Punjab, around 84 miles from the capital.
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There are five children with the group, ranging from one to 13 years of age, the police said in a statement.
Officer Imran Ahmed said police found evidence that Mr Sharif briefly returned to Jhelum, before leaving and going into hiding.
While another officer in Jhelum, Nisar Ahmed, said he and his men visited the village of Kari – where Mr Sharif was born – but learned the family left around 20 years ago and never returned.
The decision to question Urfan Sharif’s partner and brother alongside him raises questions about the potential motivations and dynamics at play.
Police have not explicitly outlined their suspicions, but may be exploring the extent of their involvement and their proximity to the events leading up to Sara’s death. Collusion, or the possibility that multiple individuals were involved or complicit in the circumstances surrounding her demise, could be a crucial angle under investigation. Understanding the roles each individual played, as well as their relationships within the family dynamic, might shed light on the broader context of the tragedy.
Wanted: Urfan Sharif on left, Beinash Batool on right. . Image: Surrey PoliceFamily violence is a global concern that transcends borders and cultures.
However, domestic violence is prevalent in Pakistan due to the deeply entrenched patriarchal norms that exist in the country.
These norms place men in positions of power and authority over women and children, and they can make it difficult for women to assert their rights and seek help.
While the motivations behind such incidents can vary widely, they often stem from complex interpersonal dynamics, underlying mental health issues, financial stressors, or other factors that may strain family relationship
In some instances, cultural norms and gender dynamics can also play a role, highlighting the need for both cultural sensitivity and a commitment to dismantling harmful beliefs and practices.
There is no formal extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan.
The cause of Sara’s death is “still to be established” but a post-mortem revealed that she suffered “multiple and extensive injuries”, which were “likely to have been caused over a sustained and extended period of time”.
It is now known that Mr Sharif called 999 from Islamabad on 10 August, expressing a concern for his eldest daughter’s safety – although the exact details of the conversation are unknown.
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