LONDON: British authorities launched a murder investigation and an international manhunt for three persons suspected of involvement in the killing of Sara Sharif, 10-year-old girl found dead in a house in Surrey on August 10.
The girl’s body was found in her family house in Woking in the early hours of the morning
MailOnline quoted a Surrey Police spokesman as saying: “Detectives have confirmed that no other people were present at the address when they attended in the early hours of Thursday morning. The three people they would like to speak to were known to the victim.”
The British daily The Independent also reported that the three individuals booked one-way flights out of the country before her body was discovered.
A travel agent in the town has now told the BBC that he was contacted on August 8 by someone who knew the girl, wanting tickets to Pakistan for three adults and five children.
Det Supt Mark Chapman, of the Surrey Police and Sussex Police major crime team, also told the BBC that officers are not looking to identify anyone else in connection with the investigation.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has also revealed it is working with Surrey Police in their investigation.
A statement from the NCA said: “The NCA is supporting Surrey Police with their investigations into the murder of a 10-year-old girl.
“This involves specialist officers from our Joint International Crime Centre and across our international network providing operational support, advice and guidance as required.”
The BBC has spoken to police in Pakistan who have said that no formal approach has been made by the British authorities over the case.
Pakistan and the UK do not have a formal extradition treaty.
Surrey Police said the girl’s mother was informed and continues to be supported by specially trained officers.
The 10-year-old’s mother, Olga Sharif, told The Sun that Sara’s behaviour changed as her ex-husband Urfan Sharif’s influence on her life increased.
Ms Sharif, 36, said she married Urfan, 41, in November 2009, but the marriage ended in 2017. Her ex-husband was awarded full custody of both Sara and her 13-year-old brother in 2019. Since then, Ms Sharif claims she has only been allowed to see her children twice.
Ms Sharif is now awaiting the results of a post-mortem to establish how her daughter died. She hopes to bury Sara in her native Poland. A post-mortem examination was due to take place today.
Please visit our website London Institute of Peace Research for latest peace news
