By Emily Caulkett-
In their first public statement since the tragic death of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, her father, Urfan Sharif, and his partner, Beinash Batool, have expressed their willingness to cooperate with UK authorities, while expressing determination to fight the case in court.
Surprisingly, the natural father of the dead child left all the talking to his partner who is not the natural mother of tragic Sharif, and she showed little emotion about the dead child, focusing more on her image and determination to escape the nightmarish hole she and her partner find themselves in.
Sara’s lifeless body was discovered at a property on Hammond Road, Woking, after her father, Urfan Sharif, called the police from Pakistan on August 10, 2023. She had been living with Mr. Sharif and Ms. Batool at the time of her death.
A grainy video clip, featuring Mr. Sharif and Ms. Batool, was released to The BBC offering the first glimpse of the couple since they left the UK.
Perhaps most notably, neither Mr. Sharif nor Ms. Batool expresses any sadness regarding Sara’s tragic death. Instead, Ms. Batool briefly characterizes it as an “incident.”
Her statement suggests that their family in Pakistan has been deeply affected by the situation, mainly referring to the news of the incidence and raiding by the police, rather than the death of the young girl.
Ms Battol claimed that they have gone into hiding because they fear the Pakistani police would torture them and kill them.
She concluded her statement by saying, “Lastly, we are willing to cooperate with the UK authorities and fight our case in court.”
Mr. Sharif and Ms. Batool fled the UK with five children aged between one and 13, according to Surrey Police.
A post-mortem examination revealed that Sara had endured “multiple and extensive injuries” over a “sustained and extended” period, but that the precise cause of her death was unknown, but likely to be unnatural.
Sara’s grandfather previously referred to her death as an “accident” and indicated that the three family members who left the UK for Pakistan would ultimately return to face police questioning.
Sara’s mother, Olga Sharif, shared her heartbreaking experience when she identified her daughter’s body in the mortuary. She described Sara’s injuries, including a swollen cheek and bruises, that have left a lasting impact on her.
Olga Sharif had separated from her husband in 2015, and Sara and her older brother had been living with her until 2019 when a family court decision ruled they should live with their father.
Despite the change in living arrangements, Ms. Sharif still maintained equal rights to see her children, although she noted that this became increasingly challenging over time.
Surrey Police are actively seeking information from the public to help piece together a comprehensive understanding of Sara’s life leading up to her tragic demise.
It is apparent that something was wrong in the decision to return Sara and her brother to their father and the step- mother.
A probe into social care files and contact with Sara’s school – the relevant child protection police should contribute to piercing information together towards the true state of Sara’s life at home what could have actually led to her death, It is expected that a murder inquiry would lead the way.