Sara Sharif’s siblings will stay in Pakistan as a UK council has provided extensive support for them. Sara, a 10-year-old, was tragically murdered by her father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool after enduring severe abuse over the years. Her body was found in a bunk bed at their home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10, 2023, a day after Sharif and Batool fled to Pakistan with Sara’s five siblings.
Sharif and Batool were sentenced to life in prison in December 2024 for Sara’s murder, with minimum terms of 40 years and 33 years, respectively. Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, also living in the house, was convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child and received a 16-year prison term.
Following the parents’ return to the UK in September 2023, the children were made wards of court by a High Court judge in London, necessitating their return to the UK. Surrey County Council was granted permission to start the process of repatriating the children from Pakistan in December 2025.
A High Court order in England stipulated that proceedings would be dismissed in six months without an extension application, as reported by the BBC. Surrey County Council has now withdrawn from the proceedings, citing the inability to bring the children back to the UK. The council’s chief executive, Terence Herbert, confirmed that they had exerted all efforts to aid Sara’s siblings in Pakistan.
In a statement, Herbert explained that the children were under the care of the High Court, and efforts were made to repatriate them to England. Despite their best attempts, the English court proceedings are nearing conclusion, marking the end of the Lahore proceedings in Pakistan.
Sara’s paternal grandfather, Muhammad Sharif, expressed his determination to retain custody of the children, emphasizing their education and safety in Pakistan. He asserted that the children are deeply connected to him and prefer to remain under his guardianship, expressing confidence in winning the custody battle.
