Sara Sharif's family members cannot be detained in Pakistan, LHC rules

The Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi bench, has ruled against the detention of family members of 10-year-old Sara Sharif for questioning in a case of her murder probe that has garnered both national and international attention.

Sara Sharif's body was found in her family home in Woking, Surrey, on August 10. After finding her body, Surrey Police launched a murder probe and an international hunt for her father, Urfan Sharif, his partner Beinash Batool, and his brother Faisal Malik, who had all left for Pakistan before her body was found.

Initial findings from the post-mortem examination revealed that the young girl had sustained "multiple and extensive injuries" over an extended period, elevating the urgency of the investigation.

During the manhunt, two brothers of Malik were detained by the Jehlum Police. Subsequently, a petition was filed in the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court, challenging their detention.

In a hearing on an application against the Jhelum Police, the petitioners maintained that the Jhelum police were harassing them by repeated questioning of Malik Irfan.

"Malik Irfan came to Pakistan from UK, but there is no information about him," it argued.

It must be noted that the Interpol and British police are working alongside Pakistani police and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to look for the absconders. Jhelum Police are interrogating the family members at Interpol's request.

Upon hearing the arguments, Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan ruled that the police could not arrest the father and brothers of the accused for questioning.

"Family members of the accused should not be detained for questioning," he said.