The siblings of Sara Sharif have been living in Pakistan since October 2023. They currently stay with their paternal grandfather in Jhelum.
A long running legal process has taken place across both England and Pakistan over custody and where the children should live.
Sara Sharif, a 10 year old girl, was killed in August 2023 in Woking. Her father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool were later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. Her uncle Faisal Malik was also convicted for his role in the case.
Custody situation in Pakistan
Five children in the family have been at the center of custody proceedings in Pakistan. They were initially placed in temporary care after being found in Jhelum in September 2023.
Later, their paternal grandfather gained temporary custody. He has continued to argue that the children should stay with him in Pakistan.
The children attend school in Pakistan, except the youngest.
Position of Surrey County Council
Surrey County Council was involved in efforts to return the children to the United Kingdom through Pakistani legal channels.
The council later withdrew from the case. It stated that it no longer had a legal route to continue proceedings in Pakistan, as the English legal process was closing.
Current legal outlook
The final custody decision is still not completed in Pakistan. However, both possible outcomes under discussion would keep the children in Pakistan for now.
The grandfather’s legal team says the children hold dual nationality. They also say the children can choose to return to the United Kingdom in the future if they wish.
