Sara Sharif's grandfather granted guardianship of her siblings in Pakistan

Sara Sharif’s grandfather has been awarded guardianship of her siblings in Pakistan

Sara Sharif’s siblings will remain in Pakistan with their grandfather

A court in Pakistan has granted Sara Sharif’s paternal grandfather guardianship of her siblings.

The ruling follows years of legal uncertainty after 10-year-old Sara was murdered by her father and stepmother in 2023.

The children’s grandfather has said their British citizenship will be kept, allowing them to decide whether they want to return to the UK in future.

All five children, now aged between 16 and four, have been living in Pakistan since 2023. They were asked to speak to the judge in court, and the eldest said they were comfortable and that the siblings were settled.

When the judge told them their grandfather would become their guardian, the eldest replied: “that’s all good”.

The five children have been in Pakistan since August 2023, when they were taken there by Sara’s father, stepmother and uncle after Sara was killed.

The family spent weeks in hiding before police found the children at their grandfather’s house. They were first placed in state childcare.

The adults returned to the UK by plane and were arrested at the airport. Sara’s father, Urfan Sharif, and stepmother, Beinash Batool, were convicted of Sara’s murder. Sharif was sentenced to a minimum of 40 years in prison, while Batool received a minimum of 33 years.

Her uncle, Faisal Malik, was convicted of causing or allowing her death and given a 16-year sentence.

Sara had been hooded, burned and beaten during a “campaign of torture” that lasted two years before her body was discovered at the family home in Woking, Surrey.

Sara’s father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool were jailed for life over her death

In Pakistan, Sara’s grandfather was given temporary custody of her siblings in October 2023. The grandfather has said all but the youngest are now attending school in Pakistan.

The children were made wards of court in England, and Surrey County Council had been trying to bring them back through the courts in Pakistan.

Their grandfather has been fighting for them to stay with him. Surrey withdrew from the case in June, saying it had no ability to pursue the application in Pakistan, as English proceedings are coming to an end.

A final decision on their guardianship had not been made in Pakistan’s courts until Saturday.