A 9-year-old girl was tragically shot dead by police in Pakistan after officers mistakenly opened fire on her family's car, believing they were jewel robbers. The incident occurred in Chakwal, Punjab region, on Wednesday.
Family Under Attack
Hania Ahmed was traveling with her mother Dr. Sindra Khan, father Adeel Ahmed, and brother Aafan to visit relatives. The family, originally from Perth, Australia, was confronted by two robbers upon arriving at the home of Ali Ejaz, Dr. Khan's uncle. The robbers demanded jewelry and made off with items worth approximately £3,937.
After the robbery, the suspects exchanged gunfire with a police officer before fleeing on a motorcycle. Police then saw the Ahmed family's car driving away and mistakenly assumed it was the robbers' getaway vehicle, opening indiscriminate fire.
Fatal Consequences
Ahmed managed to drive to the gates of his relative's home before losing control and crashing. The family was rushed to District Headquarters Hospital, where Hania was pronounced dead. Her father and brother were later transferred to Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi for treatment, while her mother was uninjured.
Asim Chaudhry, general secretary of the Pakistani Association, confirmed the girl's death to Australian outlet 9News, calling it "very shocking."
Investigation Launched
A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been formed to probe the incident. A District Police Officer stated, "It was a highly shocking incident. A JIT has been constituted which will present its findings soon."
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family. A spokesperson said, "We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time."
Reports from ABC News indicate that the two suspects were later killed during a "police encounter." One officer has also been arrested following a preliminary investigation.
