10-year-old Sara Sharif’s father is wanted by police in Pakistan to question him about her death – detectives there are making a series of attempts to find him.
Malik Urfan Sharif, 31, left the UK along with two other people a day before the youngster’s body was discovered.
She was found dead at her father’s home in the village of Horsell, near Woking, Surrey, on Thursday morning.
Mr Sharif’s brother, Imran Sharif, told MailOnline that he had arrived at the family home in Jhelum town last week and that it had also been raided by police looking for him.
He said, ‘After reaching Pakistan, he came to us and immediately disappeared. He didn’t bring his family to our house. Some people say he is hiding in a rented house somewhere in Jhelum, but others say he may have gone to Mirpur where his in-laws live.’
Sara Sharif, aged 10, was found dead at her home in Horsell, near Woking, on Thursday morning, sparking an international manhunt for three men
Malik Urfan Sharif (pictured), Sara Sharif’s father, left the UK along with two other people a day before the youngster’s body was discovered. He is now wanted by the police
The main door of the house, on the left, is where Urfan should have been hiding. It was raided by Chotala local police station, Jehlum Cantt
Mr Sharif, Malik’s younger brother, added: ‘Police raided our house twice in the past week and took pictures of Urfan and other family members. We have been warned to inform the police immediately once we receive his whereabouts.”
Mr Sharif’s brother, Imran Sharif (pictured) told MailOnline that he arrived at the family home in Jhelum town last week
A spokesman for Chotala police station in Jhelum, which is coordinating the manhunt, confirmed: ‘We have been asked by senior officers to arrest Urfan Sharif, who recently arrived from England. The FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) has sent a draft to the district police officer to arrest him immediately.
“We’re working on it and hopefully he’ll be behind bars soon.”
Another official added: “We are actively looking for Sharif and are confident that we will find him. We believe he is in Jhelum or Mirpur area and has robbed some properties. It’s only a matter of time before we find him.’
A local travel agent revealed that he had been approached by an acquaintance of hers who wanted plane tickets for three adults and five children.
Tickets to Islamabad costing more than £5,000 were booked on August 9, hours before Sara’s body was found alone by Surrey police.
Mr Sharif, along with his wife Beenish and children, moved into the £550,000 three-bedroom house in the quiet village of Horsell, near Woking, in April.
Sara Sharif, pictured with her mother Olga Sharif, was found dead at her father’s house – and was alone when police arrived
His younger brother continued: ‘I was not on good terms with my brother Urfan. He previously married a Polish lady.
‘When he last came, he told his parents that he lives with some Europeans. Later we received information that he had married a Polish woman. In fact, we had no idea he fled England.’
An autopsy performed on Tuesday concluded that the cause of death of 10-year-old Sara “is yet to be determined.”
British detectives are still looking for three people known to the victim who are believed to have traveled to Pakistan on August 9, a day before the girl’s death was discovered.
Detective Mark Chapman said at a media briefing at Surrey Police Station that officers are not looking for anyone else in connection with the murder investigation.
He added that they are working with international partners.
However, there is no formal extradition treaty between the UK and Pakistan that would prove that investigators have a hurdle to overcome.
Sara’s father Urfan, 41, had full custody of his daughter and 13-year-old son.
However, the girl’s mother, Olga Sharif, said her daughter’s behavior changed as her ex-husband’s influence on her life increased.
Olga Sharif, 36, with a photo of her beloved daughter Sara, whom she would like to bury in Poland
Tributes have poured in for the “beautiful” Sara, with flowers and notes left outside her childhood home. A mourner is depicted leaving flowers outside the property on Friday
Ms Sharif said she married Urfan in November 2009, but the marriage ended in 2017. She claims she was only allowed to see her children twice in the past four years.
Mrs Sharif, who now lives in Somerset, hopes to be able to bury Sara in her native Poland.
The heartbroken mother has described Sara as “a wonderful child.” She said, ‘She was so beautiful. I can’t believe she’s dead.’
Local residents spoke of their shock and fear the day after the 10-year-old’s body was discovered.
Many of the flowers left on the pavement outside the house had heartfelt messages written by local families, while one person left behind a stuffed unicorn.
A note read, “Dear girl, I’m so sorry your sparkle was extinguished too soon.”