Tag: England

  • ‘Constellation’ of injuries found on Sara Sharif

    ‘Constellation’ of injuries found on Sara Sharif

    Sara Sharif’s father, stepmother and uncle appeared at the Old Bailey, Central Criminal Court of England on Tuesday. As per orders, they will face a murder trial next autumn.

    The father, Urfan Sharif; Sara’s stepmother, Beinash Batool, and Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, appeared in court via video link.

    The trio have been charged with “causing or allowing” Sara’s death.

    According to details provided in court, Sara had a “constellation” of healed and healing injuries including a broken collarbone, multiple rib fractures and a brain haemorrhage.

    Prosecutor Giles Bedloe stated that they are to continue to probe into how Sara died.

    Sharif, Batool, and Malik only spoke to confirm their names and dates of birth: 41, 29, and 28, respectively.

    They will now appear on December 1 for a plea hearing, and will stand trial in September 2024.

  • Pakistani-born British neither studying nor working: Government report

    Pakistani-born British neither studying nor working: Government report

    British government statistics from 2017 to 2019 reveal that British youth of Pakistani origin are dropping out of education.

    The British government collects data during the annual population survey. According to the report, among the British youth, the majority of young Pakistani origin ones are not studying.

    The survey revealed that this young lot is not part of any training program, nor are they employed.

    According to British government statistics, 12 per cent of Bangladeshis, 11.7 per cent of white British and 11.5 per cent of black British youth are not employed, nor attaining any education or training.

  • Sara Sharif’s father, stepmother arrested in UK

    Sara Sharif’s father, stepmother arrested in UK

    10-year-old Sara Sharif’s father Urfan Sharif, stepmother Beinash Batool, and her uncle flew back to the UK as law enforcing agencies in Pakistan kept pursuing them. The trio has been arrested from Gatwick Airport where they surrendered to the police, BBC has reported.

    Raja Haq Nawaz, a lawyer for Urfan Sharif’s father Muhammad Sharif, told DAWN that the suspects were not arrested and that their flight left from Sialkot, Punjab.

    Previously, Jhelum police shifted Urfan Sharif’s five children to the Child Protection Bureau after a local court granted permission to the police to do so. The children were to be in the Bureau’s custody till the parents were found and arrested.

    A day before that, Sharif’s children, found in their grandfather’s house, were taken into protective custody by the police as the hunt continued for their father and stepmother.

    RPO Khurram Ali claimed that police is “conducting raids at possible hideouts for their arrests”.

    He had also clarified that the three suspects will not be able to flee Pakistan as FIA’s Immigration Wing had put staff on alert at all airports.

    The couple also released a video in which Batool touched upon media reporting of Sara’s death, claiming that they both will cooperate with UK authorities, and that they were on the run in Pakistan because the family feared that the Pakistan police will torture and kill them.

    The Case
    On August 10, 10-year-old Sara Sharif was found dead in her home in Woking, England, when her father, Urfan Sharif, called 999 from Pakistan.

    Nadeem Riaz, shop owner and a travelling agent, has known Sharif for 11 years.
    During an interview with The Times, he recalled that on August 8, he booked a one-way tickets to Pakistan on urgent basis, claiming that his cousin died.

    On August 9, Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, their five children and Sharif’s brother Faisal Malik left for Islamabad from the UK on a British Airways flight.

    The next day, Urfan Sharif called 999 after which the police found Sara’s body at home. Surrey Police then began an investigation along with international partners. The same day, after arriving at Islamabad, the family travelled to Jhelum. The police kept on tracking them as they left for Domeli late on August 12, and then left Domeli the very next day. This was the last location tracked.

    On August 15, Pakistan police received a request from International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) via FIA to hunt them down.

  • Sara Sharif case: Urfan Sharif’s five children sent to Child Protection Bureau

    Sara Sharif case: Urfan Sharif’s five children sent to Child Protection Bureau

    In a recent development in the Sara Sharif case, Jhelum police have shifted Urfan Sharif’s five children to the Child Protection Bureau in Lahore

    A day before, Sharif’s children, found in their grandfather’s house, were taken into protective custody by the police as the hunt continues for their father and stepmother.

    The children have been shifted to the Bureau after a local court granted permission to the police to do so. The children are said to be in the Bureau’s custody till the parents, Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool, are found and arrested.

    Dawn spoke with Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer (RPO) Syed Khurram Ali, who stated that the parents as well as Urfan Sharif’s brother (and Sara’s uncle) are still on the run and the police is “conducting raids at possible hideouts for their arrests”.

    He also clarified that the three suspects cannot flee Pakistan as FIA’s Immigration Wing has put staff on alert at all airports.

    Additionally, the parent’s relatives have not been complying and have even approached Lahore High Court against the police, claiming that the police have illegally detained around 10 relatives of Urfan. “The court was being misled through fabricated information”, RPO added.

    Dawn highlighted that the police had interrogated 10 to 15 of the relatives on Saturday in the search to pinpoint the couple’s whereabouts, after which they were allowed to leave.

    The RPO said the relatives are playing a “dubious role” and contributing to the couple’s “trouble”.

    Urfan’s father initially claimed to not have any information about his grandchildren, however, they were found at his place after the raid.

    “If they did nothing wrong in London, they should feel free to hand themselves over to the police”, said the RPO, referring to the couple, hoping that they will surrender soon since the children should not be kept away from the parents for too long.

    The case

    On August 10, 10-year-old Sara Sharif was found dead in her home in Woking, England, when her father, Urfan Sharif, called 999 from Pakistan.

    Nadeem Riaz, shop owner and a travelling agent, has known Sharif for 11 years. During an interview with The Times, he recalled that on August 8, he booked one way tickets to Pakistan on urgent basis, claiming that his cousin died.

    On August 9, Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, their five children and Sharif’s brother Faisal Malik left for Islamabad from the UK on a British Airways flight.

    The next day, Urfan Sharif called 999 after which the police found Sara’s body at home. Surrey Police then began an investigation along with international partners. The same day, after arriving at Islamabad, the family travelled to Jhelum. The police kept on tracking them as they left for Domeli late on August 12, and then left Domeli the very next day. This was the last location tracked.

    On August 15, Pakistan police received a request from International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) via FIA to hunt them down.

  • Sara Sharif case; five children taken into custody

    Sara Sharif case; five children taken into custody

    While Sara Sharif’s parents, Urfan Sharif and Beinash Batool are still on the run, Pakistan police took five of Sharif’s children into custody on Monday, District Police Office (DPO) of Jhelum has confirmed.

    Geo News has reported that Noman, Azlam, Ihsan, Hina, and Bisma Sharif are in police protection right now, while their father, the prime suspect, remains on the loose.

    Previously, Sara Sharif’s grandfather, Muhammad Sharif, had denied knowing where his son was or the family’s whereabouts but now, he revealed that he had been sheltering the children at his place in Jhelum.

    Geo reports that as per witnesses, police had been stationed outside Muhammad Sharif’s residence, with officers stopping the people from recording proceedings on their phones. On the other hand, Muhammad Sharif claims that during the operation, the police damaged the house’s gates and CCTV cameras.

    The family has alleged that the police have been terrorising them, subjecting some relatives to involuntary detention, conducting unwarranted searches of their residence, and in order to put pressure on the family, fabricated charges have been filed against them.

    The police, on the contrary, have denied all assertions and are determined to find Sara Sharif’s father, Urfan Sharif, who is allegedly the main suspect.

    Previously

    10-year-old Sara Sharif’s uncle and grandfather have been detained from Jhelum in a case pertaining to the child’s mysterious death in the UK.

    As per the police, 10 people in total have been arrested.

    Moreover, the detained persons have been kept at an unknown location, and three of the family’s vehicles have also been seized.

    Police say that Sara’s parents, father Urfan Sharif and stepmother Beinash Batool, are still on the run. Meanwhile, a case of kidnapping has been filed against two of Sharif’s brothers and his brother-in-law.

    The case

    On August 10, 10-year-old Sara Sharif was found dead in her home in Woking, England, when her father, Urfan Sharif, called 999 from Pakistan.

    Nadeem Riaz, shop owner and a travelling agent, has known Sharif for 11 years. During an interview with The Times, he recalled that on August 8, he booked one way tickets to Pakistan on urgent basis, claiming that his cousin died.

    On August 9, Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, their five children and Sharif’s brother Faisal Malik left for Islamabad from the UK on a British Airways flight.

    The next day, Urfan Sharif called 999 after which the police found Sara’s body at home. Surrey Police then began an investigation along with international partners. The same day, after arriving at Islamabad, the family travelled to Jhelum. The police kept on tracking them as they left for Domeli late on August 12, and then left Domeli the very next day. This was the last location tracked.

    On August 15, Pakistan police received a request from International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) via FIA to hunt them down.

  • Yoga class mistaken for ‘ritual mass murder’

    Yoga class mistaken for ‘ritual mass murder’

    Onlookers mistook a yoga class as a “ritual mass murder”, reporting it to the police in Lincolnshire, England.

    Five police cars reached the ‘crime-scene’ at North Sea Observatory in Chapel St Leonards, Lincolnshire, on Wednesday night.

    BBC spoke with 22-year-old Yoga teacher Millie Laws who found the whole incident “funny and surreal”. She initially thought that the report of her being a “mass murderer” was a “joke”.

    Laws was teaching seven students at the Seascape Cafe situated inside a building. She recalls two dog walkers peeking through the glass window while the class was at its Shavasana or relaxation stage. Additionally, the room was dark with candles lit, which made it more suspicious, she added.

    “They’re [students] laying down with blankets over them, their eyes are closed. It’s very dark in there. I just had candles and little tea lights lit the whole room, and I was just walking around playing my drum. I had a nice floaty top on with large bell sleeves,” she said.

    “A couple with some dogs just came up to the window and were having a look in, but they walked off really quickly and I didn’t think anything of it.”

    “I didn’t know until after we left that these people phoned in saying that there was a mass murderer; they were wearing a robe and they were walking over all of the people, and it looked like some kind of ritual, and that the people on the floor were actually dead.

    “I guess from the outside view it could look like that, because they’re all really still, very nice and relaxed.

    “I’m sure their imagination was running wild with what was going on.”

    “I feel really bad for whoever the person was who [phoned police] that would, of course, have been terrifying. So I do feel for them.

    “But at the same time you’ve got to see the lighter side of it.”

    Managers at Seascape Cafe posted a statement on Facebook to remove any doubts in the residents of the small village where police were ringing at night, stating everything in the area was good, jokingly adding that “We are not part of any mad cult or crazy clubs.”

  • Sara Sharif’s parents release video from hiding; say they’re willing to cooperate

    Sara Sharif’s parents release video from hiding; say they’re willing to cooperate

    A video has come to light in which Sara Sharif’s stepmother, Beinash Batool along with her husband, Urfan Shairf, can be seen together in an undisclosed location. Batool touches upon media reporting of Sara’s death, claiming that they both will cooperate with UK authorities, and that they are on the run out of fear of Pakistani police.

    While Urfan Sharif remains silent, Batool reads from a notebook. Speaking briefly of Sara, she says, “Firstly, I would like to talk about Sara. Sara’s death was an accident. Our family in Pakistan are severely affected by all that is going on,”

    Accusing the media of making up lies, Beinish says, “Imran [one of Mr Sharif’s brothers] did not give the statement that Sara fell down the stairs and broke her neck. This was spread through a Pakistani media outlet. I am very worried about Imran’s safety.”

    She further claimed that they have run out of food, are unable to leave home because of security concerns, and the children are unable to attend school out of fear.

    Furthermore, she explains that they are in hiding because the family fears that the Pakistan police will torture and kill them.

    BBC, however, reports that according to police chief Mehmood Bajwa, the allegations of “harassment and torture of family members are false”.

    Urfan Sharif’s father had petitioned the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court against the harassment of his family members. While the court barred the police from detaining them again, the officers said questioning will continue.

    The Case
    On August 10, 10-year-old Sara Sharif was found dead in her home in Woking, England, when her father, Urfan Sharif, called 999 from Pakistan.

    Nadeem Riaz, shop owner and a travelling agent, has known Sharif for 11 years. During an interview with The Times, he recalled that on August 8, he booked one way tickets to Pakistan on urgent basis, claiming that his cousin died.

    On August 9, Sharif, his wife Beinash Batool, their five children and Sharif’s brother Faisal Malik left for Islamabad from the UK on a British Airways flight.

    The next day, Urfan Sharif called 999 after which the police found Sara’s body at home. Surrey Police then began an investigation along with international partners. The same day, after arriving at Islamabad, the family travelled to Jhelum. The police kept on tracking them as they left for Domeli late on August 12, and then left Domeli the very next day. This was the last location tracked.

    On August 15, Pakistan police received a request from International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) via FIA to hunt them down.

    A few days later, the Pakistani police arrested Sharif’s brother Imran and also spoke with some of the family members.

    Sharif’s parents and a number of other relatives are also missing, with the family home and shop in Jhelum locked up and empty. While everyone insisted on not knowing the family’s whereabouts, the police remains unconvinced by their claims.

    “We managed to get hold of Imran, but the rest of his family have gone missing. They clearly have something to hide. We got hold of one of them and will be interrogating him until he tells us the truth.”

    As reported by Arab News, Imran did confirm to MailOnline that his brother had been in Pakistan on August 9 however, he was alone. He added that he disappeared right after.

    BBC also spoke with Urfan Sharif’s father, Muhammad Sharif. According to him, “It was an accident, he didn’t tell me how it happened,” and that the family fled the UK out of fear.

    He, however, urged his son to return to the UK and defend himself.

    Sara’s mother
    Sara Sharif’s mother Olga said in an interview to a Polish channel that Sara was so severely injured that she “did not recognise her” in the mortuary.

    “One of her cheeks was swollen and the other side was bruised. Even now, when I close my eyes I can see what my baby looked like,” Olga said.

    As per the post-mortem examination by Surrey Police, Sara “suffered multiple and extensive injuries”, that seemingly were “caused over a sustained and extended period of time”.

    Olga also revealed that she herself was subjected to mistreatment while she was married to Urfan Sharif. When she separated from him in 2015, Sara and her older brother lived with her until 2019, when the family court ordered for them to live with their father while giving equal rights to Olga.

    Olga states that the children’s stepmother told her off.

    “It’s not normal that once the children were happy, and arguing about who would talk to Mum first, and then the kids don’t even want to talk to me on the phone and are calling me the worst names,” she said.

  • Surprised diners get served burgers by future King of England

    Surprised diners get served burgers by future King of England

    Prince William, the Prince of Wales, caused a stir among customers when he made an unexpected appearance at a food truck, dishing out eco-friendly plant-based burgers.

    The event took place in collaboration with Sorted Food, a renowned British YouTube channel and food community. With an impressive following of 2.7 million subscribers and nearly 1 billion views, Sorted Food joined forces with Prince William to shed light on the Earthshot Prize and its recent winners, individuals tasked with finding sustainable solutions to heal our planet.

    Appearing as a special guest on the YouTube video released on July 30, Prince William showcased the Earthshot Prize and its mission to repair the planet. He surprised the Sorted Food team by arriving in their kitchen with boxes of ingredients for their Earthshot Burgers, playfully teasing one of the hosts about the weight of the vegetable ingredients.

    In the video, Prince William explained that he initiated the Earthshot Prize two years ago, with a goal of addressing some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. He emphasized that urgency and optimism are key in driving action, reflecting the spirit of the prize.

    The moment of astonishment occurred when Prince William joined the Sorted Food crew on their Earthshot Burger food truck to serve the plant-based delicacies to unsuspecting customers. The patrons were treated to an eco-friendly meal, made possible by last year’s Earthshot Prize winners, whose innovative products included clean and energy-efficient stoves and biodegradable food packaging.

    This was not the first time Prince William raised awareness about the Earthshot Prize initiative. He and Catherine, Princess of Wales, attended The Earthshot Prize ceremony at the MGM Music Hall in Boston, Massachusetts the previous year.

  • Australia stuns England with thrilling Ashes victory at Edgbaston

    Australia stuns England with thrilling Ashes victory at Edgbaston

    In a gripping Ashes encounter at Edgbaston, Australia claimed a thrilling two-wicket triumph, taking a 1-0 lead in the series with a remarkable display by skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon.

    The final day was packed with tension, culminating in an extraordinary performance by Cummins and Lyon, who formed an unyielding ninth-wicket partnership. Against a boisterous crowd, they defied all odds and successfully chased down a target of 281, adding an unbeaten 55 runs to their team’s tally.

    This victory held significant meaning for Australia as it avenged their heartbreaking two-run defeat on the same ground 18 years ago, when they narrowly missed reaching a target of 282. Cummins, unbeaten with a crucial 44 runs, and Lyon, undefeated on 16, propelled Australia to their closest Ashes victory in terms of wickets since 1907.

    Initially, England seemed to be on the verge of victory as captain Ben Stokes bowled Usman Khawaja with a mesmerising slower ball, while Joe Root showcased exceptional skills with a return catch off Alex Carey. However, in the final hour of the match, Cummins and Lyon skillfully countered England’s short-ball strategy, thwarting their plans.

    The tension reached its peak when Stokes nearly pulled off a sensational flying catch to dismiss Lyon, but unfortunately lost control of the ball. With less than five overs remaining and three runs required, Cummins guided Ollie Robinson towards the third man, where a diving Harry Brook fumbled, ultimately securing an incredible win for Australia.

    The Edgbaston clash lived up to its reputation as an Ashes classic, captivating fans with its high stakes and enthralling cricket. The series now moves on to the second Test at Lord’s on June 28, promising further excitement and intensity for cricket enthusiasts worldwide.

  • ‘Is he mentally stable or not’: Ramiz Raja slams Sethi’s proposal for England to be Asia Cup host

    ‘Is he mentally stable or not’: Ramiz Raja slams Sethi’s proposal for England to be Asia Cup host

    Former Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja has slammed current head of the Board, Najam Sethi, on the issue of Asia Cup 2023 hosting country.

    Sethi is trying to solve the Asia Cup hosting issue amicably with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Asian Cricket Council (ACC). Jay Shah, President of ACC and also Secretary of BCCI, has been accused of being biased and creating hurdles for Pakistan’s hosting rights of Asia Cup.
    “England could be a possibility as a venue for the Asia Cup,” Sethi said in an interview with BBC.

    Ramiz Raja expressed anger on the statement, raising questions about the mental health of the PCB chairman. “The whole purpose of Asia Cup right before the World Cup is to let the teams get used to Asian conditions.

    I was shocked to hear the Chairman PCB saying it would be great to see the Asia Cup being played at Lord’s. Is he mentally stable or not?” Raja questioned.

    Raja also said that it makes him angry when the chairman is saying that Pakistan Super League (PSL 9) will be conducted in UAE because of taxation issues in Pakistan.

    “On one side you are saying Pakistan is safe for cricket regarding Asia Cup and on the other hand you are saying PSL 9 will be conducted in UAE, what type of perspective are you trying to give, are you out of your mind,” Ramiz Raja asked.

    Former cricketer Salman Butt also took a dig on Sethi’s statement of hosting Asia Cup in England:
    “A neutral venue like this [England] is not viable for Asia Cup, it will not make sense as it will mean that there is not a single venue in Asia where it could be held.”
    “You can include England in it and make it Euro-Asia Cup. You can also give this suggestion. In the past, Austral-Asia Cup used to take place in which Australia participated.

    You can also include Ireland and Netherlands in it. It would be a World Cup-like event, as it will have six teams from Asia and four countries from Europe, so it will be a ten-team tournament. It will be a dress rehearsal for World Cup,” the former Pakistan opener said.

    He also added, “You can come up with as many ideas as possible but you also have to see what is practically possible.”