A court in Pakistan has granted guardianship of Sara Sharif’s siblings to their paternal grandfather, bringing an end to years of legal uncertainty following the ten-year-old’s murder in 2023. The ruling addresses a prolonged dispute over the children’s future after they were removed from the UK.
The five siblings, whose ages range from four to 16, have resided in Pakistan since August 2023. They were taken to the country by Sara’s father, his new wife, and an uncle shortly after Sara’s death. For several weeks, the family remained in hiding before police located the children at the grandfather’s home. Initially placed into state care, the children were subsequently allowed to stay with their grandfather while the adults returned to the UK, where they were arrested upon arrival at the airport.
During the court proceedings, the children were invited to speak with the judge. The eldest sibling stated that they felt comfortable and settled in Pakistan. When informed that the grandfather would assume guardianship, the eldest responded that the decision was acceptable.
The grandfather has affirmed that all five children will retain their British citizenship, preserving their option to return to the UK in the future. He noted that all but the youngest child are now enrolled in school.
This development concludes a complex legal battle. The children had been made wards of court in England, with Surrey County Council attempting to repatriate them through the Pakistani judicial system. However, in June, Surrey withdrew from the case, citing an inability to pursue the application in Pakistan as English proceedings drew to a close.
The guardianship decision comes against the backdrop of the severe crimes committed against Sara Sharif. Her father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, were convicted of her murder. Sharif was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison, while Batool received a minimum of 33 years. Their uncle, Faisal Malik, was found guilty of causing or allowing her death and was sentenced to 16 years. Investigators determined that Sara had endured a two-year campaign of torture, including beatings and burnings, before her body was discovered at the family home in Woking, Surrey.
Years of legal battles finally resolved, but one wonders if the court considered the psychological impact on the siblings fully enough.
It is heartbreaking that the eldest child feels ‘comfortable’ there. Trauma bond or manipulation likely plays a huge role here.
Does the grandfather actually have the resources and capacity to care for five children alone? That seems like a massive burden.
I struggle to see how remaining in Pakistan is truly in the siblings’ best interests after what their father did to Sara.
At least the children have some stability now, but it is deeply unsettling they were taken away from their home in the UK.