A Pakistani police officer mistakenly shot dead Hania Ahmed, a young Australian girl, during a robbery incident while she was on holiday with her family in Chakwal, Punjab province late Wednesday night local time. The family was held hostage at gunpoint inside their rental car by armed robbers outside a relative’s home, police said [1, 2, 3, 4].
Officers from the Punjab Crime Control Department responded and exchanged fire with the robbers. Punjab Police said, "In the ensuing chaos, the officer involved mistakenly assessed that the suspects were attempting to flee in the victims’ vehicle and discharged his weapon. This erroneous decision resulted in the tragic death of 10-year-old Hania and injuries to her father and brother" [1].
Hania Ahmed was either nine or ten years old, attending grade four at an Islamic college in Perth, Australia, where the school's executive principal described her as a "happy, bubbly, friendly girl well-liked by peers and teachers" [1, 2, 3]. The victim died before reaching hospital after reportedly being hit by four bullets in the shooting, according to one source [2, 3].
Her father, 39-year-old Adeel Ahmed, was shot twice and injured but his wounds are not serious. Her 11-year-old brother was also injured. Their mother was unharmed in the attack [1, 2, 5, 3, 4]. A local relative, Ali Ejaz, said, "The incident has shattered the family and people in the area" [2].
The armed robbers fled on a motorcycle and police killed them in a separate encounter the next night [1, 3]. The officer who fired the fatal shots was suspended, arrested, and remanded to judicial custody pending investigation [1, 2, 5, 3, 4]. Punjab Police promised a thorough and impartial inquiry, emphasizing a commitment to minimum force and accountability [1, 2, 4].
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed his concern and called for a transparent and proper investigation, saying, "Our government expects there to be transparency and a proper investigation of these circumstances. My understanding is that not only has a young girl lost her life but there have been other members of the family injured as well in circumstances which are dire indeed" [2, 3, 4].
The family had recently returned from the Hajj pilgrimage and planned to fly back to Australia this Monday before the fatal incident occurred [2]. Around June 12 to 14, Hania’s school held an assembly in her memory and offered counseling to students [1].
On June 15, Punjab Police publicly confirmed the officer’s suspension and arrest and issued a statement on the case, while the Australian Prime Minister reiterated calls for a transparent inquiry the same day [1, 2, 5, 3, 4].
