Sara Sharif’s mother speaks of her grief on Polish TV after Surrey schoolgirl’s death

Sara Sharif was found dead at a property in Hammond Road in Woking on 10 August. Credit: PA Media

The mother of 10-year-old Sara Sharif has spoken of the grief she felt when she went to identify her daughter’s body in the mortuary.

Sara’s body was found at a property in Hammond Road, Woking, after police were called from Pakistan by her father on August 10.

A post-mortem examination found she had suffered “multiple and extensive injuries” over a “sustained and extended” period of time.

She was living with her father Urfan Sharif and his partner Beinash Batool when she died.

Sara’s father Urfan Sharif, left, and stepmother Beinash Batool are accused of the 10-year-old’s murder Credit: Surrey Police/PA

Speaking on Polish television programme Uwaga! on the TVN Channel, Olga Sharif said: “One of her cheeks was swollen and the other side was bruised.

“Even now, when I close my eyes I can see what my baby looked like.”

Ms Sharif said she in the interview she had separated from her husband in 2015 and Sara and her older brother had been living with her until 2019 when the family court ruled they should live with their father.

Ms Sharif still had equal rights to see the children and said while that was easy to maintain initially it became increasingly harder over time.

Mr Sharif, 41, Ms Batool, 29, and his brother, Faisal Malik, 28, are thought to have travelled to Islamabad on August 9 and are wanted by police for questioning.

They left with five children aged between one and 13-years-old, Surrey Police said.

Sara’s grandfather has told the BBC the girl’s death was an “accident” and three family members who left the UK for Pakistan will “ultimately” return to face police questioning.

Muhammad Sharif said he saw Sara’s father soon after he arrived in the city of Jhelum, in the South Asian country, and said his son had fled the UK out of “fear”.

A person leaves flowers outside a property in Woking where Sara was found dead Credit: PA

Surrey Police are appealing for information to help them piece together a picture of Sara’s life.

Surrey County Council has confirmed she was known to the local authority.

Authorities in Pakistan are searching for the trio and lawyers in the UK have said the nation’s government is unlikely to block an extradition request in connection to the death.

While there is no formal extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan, people have been returned from the Asian country before.

The full interview with Ms Sharif will air on the Polish TV programme at 7.55pm local time on Wednesday.

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