Five kids ‘taken from UK by Sara Sharif’s dad found hiding’ in police raid

Sara’s granddad Muhammad said the five youngsters were taken from his house by police (Picture: AFP/BBC)

Five children who travelled from the UK to Pakistan with Sara Sharif’s father have been found hiding at their grandfather’s house, it has been reported.

Urfan Sharif, 41, is said to have fled the UK with his partner and brother the day before Sara was found dead with ‘extensive injuries’ at her home in Woking, Surrey, last month.

The trio reportedly took five young members of the family with them, though there is no suggestion they were kidnapped by force.

Sara’s grandfather, Muhammad Sharif, told the BBC all five kids were taken from his house in the north-eastern city of Jhelum during a police raid, which was confirmed by local authorities.

Sara’s 13-year-old brother was said to be one of the five who left the UK with her dad, though the identities of the kids found in the raid have not been revealed.

Muhammad Sharif did not say how long the kids had been with him, and has previously denied being in touch with his son.

Surrey Police have previously expressed concern for the ‘welfare’ of the youngsters.

Urfan Sharif (left) and Beinash Batool (right) left the UK the day before little Sara was found dead (Picture: AFP)

Witnesses to the raid said dozens of officers cordoned off the area around the property and stopped people filming on their phones.

A neighbour told the BBC: ‘Police officers including female officers raided the house. They broke the CCTV at the entrance and entered it.

‘While inside, more officers arrived outside and stopped the traffic. They stopped everyone from filming on their mobile phones.’

Sara and her brother had been living with their dad and his partner, Beinash Batool, 29.

Sara’s granddad previously denied having contact with his son or the family (Picture: BBC)

They had lived with their mother Olga from 2015 to 2019, when a family court ruled they should move in with Mr Sharif.

Olga had equal rights on spending time with her kids but said it became harder to maintain contact over time.

Speaking to Polish broadcasters last week, she said: ‘Their stepmother wrote to me not to come anymore because the children did not want to see me.

‘It’s not normal that once the children were happy, and arguing about who would talk to Mum first, and then the kids don’t even want to talk to me on the phone and are calling me the worst names.’

Mr Sharif and Ms Batool have since hit back at claims surrounding the case in a video statement and claimed press coverage had forced their family into ‘hiding’.

In a video shared with Sky News, Ms Batool said her side of the family is willing to cooperate with British police and ‘fight our case in court’.

She could be heard to say: ‘Firstly, I would like to talk about Sara. Sara’s death was an incident. Our family in Pakistan are severely affected by all that is going on.

‘All the media have been giving wrong statements and making up lies.

‘All of our family members have gone into hiding as everyone is scared for their safety.

‘The groceries have run out and there is no food for the kids as the adults are unable to leave their homes out of fear for safety.’

Mr Sharif, Ms Batool and Mr Sharif’s brother, Faisal Malik, who travelled with the couple are wanted by British and Pakistani police for questioning.

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