Sara Sharif’s grandfather has revealed he will fight to keep her siblings in Pakistan, saying it's the “safest place for them”. Muhammad Sharif, paternal grandfather of the murdered 10-year-old, has said he will appeal to the High Court in Pakistan to stop Sara’s five siblings from being returned to the UK, the Sunday Times has reported.
It comes as hundreds of people attended a powerful vigil in her memory on Sunday evening, outside the home in Woking. Organiser Iqra Nabbi said it united the community, who have felt helpless during the trial. She added: "What a beautiful, peaceful vigil and tribute for Sara it was. It was the most powerful way we could all get together to share our main emotion- which is purely sadness."
Sara’s siblings were taken to Pakistan by their father Urfan Sharif, Sara’s step-mother Beinash Batool and her uncle Faisal Malik on August 9 last year, a day before Sara’s body was discovered in a bunk bed at the family home in Horsell. The children, whose identities are protected by a court order, remain in Jhelum, despite ongoing efforts to return them to the UK.
When the family arrived in Pakistan, the children were left in the care of their grandfather but were taken into state care after being discovered by Pakistani police during efforts to locate Sharif, Batool and Malik. The children are now back in the care of their grandfather.
He told The Sunday Times said: “The legal proceedings concerning the custody of the children are ongoing in the Lahore High Court. They are enrolled in a reputable school, and we ensure their safety by personally transporting them to and from school. I am their guardian and this is the safest place for them to live in, they have an association with me and they are not willing to leave me. We will win the case.”
Urfan Sharif and Batool were convicted of the Sara’s murder at the Old Bailey on Wednesday, December 11. Malik was found guilty of causing or allowing her death.
Her five siblings were last September made wards of court by Mr Justice Hayden, meaning they needed to be returned to the country, because such children cannot be removed from England and Wales without approval. Surrey County Council has applied to the High Court in Lahore, Pakistan, to begin efforts to bring the children back to the UK. It remains unclear whether a court in Pakistan will authorise their return or when this will happen.
The Sunday Times reports that the High Court in Lahore last week adjourned the latest hearing in the custody case until mid-January while the children remain in the care of their grandfather.
A Surrey County Council spokesperson said: “We are continuing to work our way through this highly complex situation, sensitively and carefully, working closely with all of the agencies concerned. Our overriding priority remains the wellbeing of the children and we request that their privacy is respected.”
Sharif, Batool and Malik are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, December 17.
