Police closing in on arrest of Sara Sharif’s fleeing dad by tracking his phone
Police in Pakistan say they are closing in on the fugitive father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif, who was found dead at her Surrey home.
Urfan Sharif, 41, his partner Beinash Batool and brother Faisal Malik fled the UK the day before the schoolgirl’s body was discovered at the family’s property in Horsall, near Woking, on August 10.
Together with five of their children, the group took a flight to Islamabad in Pakistan where Urfan called UK emergency services to say his daughter was dead.
All three are now wanted for questioning and an international manhunt was launched.
Pakistani police said yesterday they are closing in on the family after identifying an active Pakistani SIM card registered in Sharif’s name, reports The Sun.
The SIM had been used recently in Jhelum, where the family are originally from, they said.
Police chief of Jhelum, Nasir Bajwa, told The Mirror that the trio were no longer believed to be in the city, and are ‘probably nearby in Kashmir’.
He said officers hoped to arrest Sharif within hours.
Mr Bajwa added that his team of officers have been working ‘day and night’ to track the group down.
He said it was believed they had been picked up at Islamabad airport by two of Sharif’s brothers, before driving the 85 miles to Jhelum.
Mr Bajway added: ‘The suspect is not giving himself up… but the picture will be clearer once we have caught him.’
Sara had suffered ‘multiple, extensive injuries’ before her death, Surrey Police have said.
Although her exact cause of death has still not been determined, it revealed her injuries are likely to have been caused over a ‘sustained and extended’ period of time.
A neighbour of the family said their daughter had seen Sara at school with cuts and bruises months before her death.
The following day a teacher had announced Sara had left and was being home schooled, according to the neighbour.
The youngster lived with her father, while her mum Olga Sharif, 36, who lives in Yeovil, Somerset, had visitation rights.
Ms Sharif, who was together with Sara’s father from 2009 to 2017, said: ‘I will never have closure until I know what has happened and why. He can’t hide away forever.’
Surrey Police also issued a fresh appeal for information on Thursday in an attempt to piece together a picture of Sara’s lifestyle in the months leading up to her death.
Detective superintendent Mark Chapman said: ‘It is now two weeks since Sara’s body was found and the impact of her tragic death continues to be felt deeply by the local and wider community, including our officers and staff.
‘We would like to thank those people who have already come forward and reported information to us.’
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