Sara Sharif: Father, stepmother and uncle identified in connection with murder of girl, 10

Sara Sharif’s father, stepmother and uncle have been identified in connection with her murder investigation, Surrey Police have said.

An international manhunt is under way for Urfan Sharif, 41, Beinash Batool, 29, and Faisal Shahzad Malik, 28, as officers try to work out what happened to the 10-year-old.

Mr Sharif is believed to have travelled to Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, on 9 August with his partner Ms Batool, his brother Mr Malik, and five children aged between one and 13-years old.

A body, now formally identified as Sara’s following DNA testing, was found by police at a home in Woking a day later, at around 2.50pm.

The force said a post-mortem revealed that Sara “suffered multiple and extensive injuries”, which they said were “likely to have been caused over a sustained and extended period of time”.

However, the cause of Sara’s death is “still to be established”, and further tests were needed, a spokesperson said.

It is now known that Urfan Sharif called 999 from Islamabad on 10 August, expressing a concern for his eldest daughter’s safety – although exact details of the conversation are unknown.

Sky News has seen the passports and holding plane tickets for Mr Sharif, Ms Batool and Mr Malik.

Eight tickets in total were booked by Sara’s father.

These were for three adults and five children – and paid for by his brother Mr Malik at a cost of around £5,100, according to Nadeem Riaz, the travel agent that sold the tickets.

Mr Riaz told Sky News he initially had a phone call with Mr Sharif, whose voice sounded “totally normal”.

“On 8 August at 10pm I received a call. Urfan said he wanted to book a ticket to Pakistan. He said his cousin passed away. I told him to send me passport pictures,” Mr Riaz said.

Mr Sharif sent these to Mr Riaz on WhatsApp, followed by a text that read: “As soon as possible.”

Mr Riaz told Sky News: “I asked him one way or return. He said ‘one way’.”

He added: “Whenever I look at my daughters… she is seven years old… and I feel very sad for Sara. I feel pain.”

Read more:
Sara Sharif’s cause of death ‘still to be established’
Trio booked flights to Pakistan a day before body found

Police have been working with international authorities to locate the trio and are urging any witnesses – or anyone with information – to come forward.

There is no formal extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan.

Mr Sharif and Mr Malik both have Pakistani passports, and it is understood that Ms Batool and the five children have Pakistani NICOP cards – the National Identity Card for Oversees Pakistanis – which allows individuals to travel to Pakistan without visas.

Meanwhile, officers remain at the property in Hammond Road in Horsell, a village less than a mile north of Woking town centre.

Neighbours said a Pakistani family with six “very young” children had moved in in April.

Flowers have been left outside, with one message reading: “Sweet girl, I’m so sorry that your sparkle was put out too soon.”

Police are expected to remain at the property in the quiet Woking village of Horsell for “some weeks”.