Police in Pakistan have raided at least 20 homes nationwide as they search for Sara Sharif’s family, Sky News understands.
According to Sky News’ Inzamam Rashid, the raids were concentrated in Jhelum and Mirpur – and are ongoing.
The 10-year-old’s father Urfan Sharif and her stepmother Beinash Batool are believed to have travelled to the country – the day before her body was found at her home in Woking last month.
Police want to question both Mr Sharif and his partner, along with brother Faisal Shahzad Malik, who are believed to have fled with five children.
On Wednesday, Ms Batool broke her silence in video shared with Sky News – and said the family was willing to cooperate with British authorities and “fight our case in court”.
Sara Sherif’s stepmother and father
In a video shared with Sky News, Mr Sharif and Ms Batool are sitting side-by-side as she reads a prepared statement from a notebook.
She denies media reports that Mr Sharif’s brother Imran said Sara fell down the stairs and claims the family has “gone into hiding”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘I would like to talk about Sara’
“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,” Ms Batool said.
She spoke about the worry she has for the family’s safety and claimed they have been misrepresented in the press.
“All the media have been giving wrong statements and making up lies.”
She also said the family are running out of food and are unable to venture outside.
Surrey Police said the video was “significant”, adding that a “priority” for them was also the welfare of the five children.
The force added: “We remain absolutely committed to conducting a thorough investigation into Sara’s death.”
Read more:
Sara Sharif was ‘bubbly and confident’ pupil
Pakistani ex-cricketer ‘offered money to kill’ Dutch politician
Haunted by sight of Sara’s body
Sara’s mother, Olga Sharif who separated from Mr Sharif in 2015, was haunted by the sight of her daughter’s body in a mortuary.
Speaking to the Polish television programme Uwaga! on Wednesday, Ms 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.
“They dressed her in Mickey Mouse pyjamas and she had a quilt over her. No mother should have to see something like that.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘Sara’s cheeks were swollen and bruised’
Sara and her older brother had been living with their mother from 2015 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.