The family of Sara Sharif who are in hiding in Pakistan after fleeing the UK have accused the media of “making up lies” about them as they spoke publicly for the first time about her death.

Speaking in a video released by Sky News, Sara’s stepmother Beinash Batool and father Urfan Sharif, who police want to speak to, say they are willing to co-operate with British authorities and “fight our case in court”.

In the footage released on Wednesday, the husband and wife sit side-by-side on a sofa as she reads a prepared statement from a notebook.

“Firstly, I would like to talk about Sara. Sara’s death was an incident. Our family in Pakistan are severely affected by all that is going on,” Ms Batool said.

She said she was worried for the family’s safety and accused the media of issuing incorrect information and “making up lies”.

“Imran [one of Mr Sharif’s brothers] did not give a 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 claims they are running out of food and are unable to venture outside.

“All of our family members have gone into hiding as everyone is scared for their safety. The kids are unable to attend school as they’re afraid to leave the house. No one is leaving the house.”

The footage emerged after the mother of 10-year-old Sara described the moment she identified her daughter’s body after she was found dead at a house in Surrey.

Olga Sharif said her daughter, who was dressed in Mickey Mouse pyjamas, had severe bruises on her face and was in a condition that “no mother should see”.

Sara’s body was found at a property in Hammond Road, Woking, after police were called from Pakistan by her father on August 10.

A post-mortem examination found she had suffered “multiple and extensive injuries” over a “sustained and extended” period of time. Sara was living with her father Urfan Sharif and his partner Beinash Batool when she died.

Speaking on Polish television programme Uwaga! on the TVN Channel, Olga Sharif said: “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.”

Ms Sharif said in the interview she had separated from her husband in 2015 and Sara and her older brother had been living with her until 2019 when the family court ruled they should live with their father.

Ms Sharif still had equal rights to see the children and said while that was easy to maintain initially it became increasingly harder over time.

Speaking to Uwaga!, Ms Sharif claimed she had been mistreated in her marriage. Mr Sharif has not responded to the allegations.