Australian child killed after Pakistani police fire on family car

Pakistani police commandos opened fire on an Australian family in the city of Chakwal, killing a child and seriously injuring her father and brother, authorities said. The case has drawn a demand from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a transparent investigation into a fatal police error.

Authorities identified the girl as Hania Ahmed, a grade four student from Perth. Punjab police said she was killed on Wednesday after personnel from the Punjab Police Elite Force fired at the family’s rental car.

Police said Hania’s father, Adeel Ahmed, 39, and her 11-year-old brother, Aafan, were severely wounded. Her mother was not injured, according to authorities.

The family had been visiting relatives in Pakistan, according to Australian officials cited in the report. Police said the family was trying to escape in the rental car after armed thieves attempted to rob them.

Punjab Police’s Crime Control Department said in a statement on Sunday that an officer wrongly believed robbery suspects were fleeing in the victims’ vehicle. The department said the officer then fired his weapon, causing Hania’s death and the injuries to her father and brother.

The department described the shooting as an erroneous decision by the officer. Police also said two robbery suspects were later killed in a separate exchange of fire.

Albanese told journalists that Australia expected transparency and a full investigation into the circumstances. He said his understanding was that a young girl had died and other family members had been injured in what he called dire circumstances.

The prime minister gave the child’s age as nine. Punjab police, in their statement, referred to Hania as 10 years old.

Officer held as inquiry sought

Authorities said the officer who fired at the family has been remanded in custody. They did not announce further details about charges, the condition of the injured family members or the status of any internal police review.

The shooting places scrutiny on the Punjab Police Elite Force, a commando unit used in high-risk operations in Pakistan’s most populous province. Police have framed the incident as a mistake during a robbery response, while Australian officials have pressed for a clear account of how the family’s car came under fire.

Albanese’s comments signal that Canberra is monitoring the case as Pakistani authorities handle the criminal process. No further statement from the family was reported.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.