Chilling two-word message sent by Sara Sharif's dad hours before leaving the UK
The father of 10-year-old Sara Sharif sent a chilling two-word message before leaving the country and sparking an international manhunt, it has been revealed.
Urfan Sharif contacted friend Nadeem Riaz on the night of August 8 asking for eight tickets on a flight to Islamabad, Pakistan. Mr Riaz, a businessman who runs a money transfer shop and ad hoc travel agency.
Mr Riaz has now said he had no idea his client was planning to leave a child behind when he messaged him at 10pm that night. Sara was found dead at the family's home in Woking, Surrey, by police after a 999 call was placed in the early hours if August 10 from Pakistan by a man claiming to be her father.
Mr Sharif, 41, is now wanted alongside his partner Beinash Batool, 29, and Faisal Malik, 28, in connection with her death. Mr Riaz, speaking to The Times, said his client of 11 years contacted him late on the Tuesday evening, paying more than £5,000 for flights. “He said he needed to book as soon as possible,” said the 46-year-old.
Urfan Sharif is still thought to be in Pakistan after boarding a one-way flight to Islamabad (PA)
His partner and Sara's stepmum, Beinash Batool, is also wanted in connection (PA)“I asked why and he said his cousin had passed away in Pakistan. He sounded normal. No different to his usual self.”
Police are 'closing in' on dad of murdered Woking girl, 10, after he vanished
When asked if he wanted to make it a return journey, Mr Riaz said Mr Sharif replied: "One way." After following up minutes later with a WhatsApp asking, "any luck?", Mr Sharif boarded the flight at Heathrow at 2pm the following day, flying via Bahrain.
Also on board were Ms Batool and Mr Malik, as well as his five children aged between one and 13. The last minute tickets cost him £5,180, Mr Riaz said.
Surrey Police has said it is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sara's death. Despite raids on homes belonging to relatives, Mr Sharif, his brother Mr Malik and Ms Batool all still remain at large.
A post-mortem on Sara found she died of extensive injuries believed to have been inflicted over a period of time. Detectives are now working with Interpol and the NCA, as well as authorities in Pakistan, to track down the three fugitives.
The mum of a pupil at St Mary's Primary, Byfleet, where Sara went to school said she had turned up with "cuts and bruises" just before she left in April. Her mum Olga Sharif, 36, who lives in Yeovil, Somerset, said previously: "I will never have closure until I know what has happened and why. He can't hide away for ever."
Surrey Police have launched an extensive operation to bring Mr Urfan and the other two back to the UK for questioning (SWNS)A relative of Sara's stepmum Ms Batool meanwhile has pleaded for her to come home and speak to police. Her cousin has told how the family have been left in the dark about the 10-year-old's death, urging her relative to help police find out exactly what happened.
The relative, who asked not to be named, told Sky News: "Beinash should come back to the UK. I don't know where she is. But I'm worried about her. I'm worried about her kids. She should come back to the UK, go to the police and tell them exactly what happened."
She added: "I don't know - my family don't know - what happened. It could have been an accident; a misunderstanding." Ms Batool's cousin, who is originally from Gujrat in Pakistan, also told the broadcaster Ms Batool was estranged from her parents, having run away to marry Mr Sharif.
Sara's grandfather, Muhammad Sharif, 68, has also urged his son Urfan Sharif to come back to the UK immediately. He said Mr Sharif hadn't said anything about Sara's death.
"We want them to present themselves," he told The Sunday Times. "We want them to resolve the matter as the privacy of our house is affected due to frequent police raids."
Pakistan cops 'asked to search for Sara Sharif's family 5 days after body found'
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