A Pakistani police officer has been suspended and taken into custody after mistakenly firing and killing a young Australian girl who was vacationing with her family.
Australian‑born Hania Ahmed and her relatives were visiting family in Chakwal, Punjab, when they were held up in their rental vehicle late Wednesday night.
In a detailed statement released on X Monday morning (AEST), Punjab police said Crime Control Department officers stepped in after the Perth family was seized at gunpoint.
The suspects opened fire on a police officer, triggering a gun battle.
“Amid the confusion, the officer erroneously believed the suspects were trying to escape in the victims’ car and fired his weapon,” the statement noted.
“That mistaken judgment led to Hania’s death and left her father and brother wounded.”
Hania’s mother escaped injury.
The assailants fled on a motorcycle and were later killed in a separate clash with police on Thursday night, according to Dawn.
The officer who fired on the Australian family’s vehicle acted contrary to established standard operating procedures and legal use‑of‑force guidelines, police stated.
He has been suspended, arrested, and appeared in court, where he was remanded to judicial custody.
His firearm and expended shell casings have been collected as forensic evidence and forwarded for analysis.
Pakistani police have pledged a “thorough, impartial investigation to ensure justice is served.”
“We acknowledge that protecting human life is our foremost duty, and any deviation from the minimum‑force principle incurs the highest legal and departmental accountability,” local police said.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. While our officers work in high‑risk settings, there is no excuse for straying from our protocols.”
Hania was a Year 4 student at the Australian Islamic College in Kewdale, Perth’s eastern suburbs.
The school, where her older brother is in Year 5, convened a special assembly on Friday afternoon for students and has made counselling services available.
Executive principal Abdullah Khan described Hania as a “happy, bubbly, friendly girl”.
“She had many friends, was very sociable, and was well liked by both peers and teachers,” he said.
Khan said he spoke with Hania’s father, Adeel, on Sunday and assured him that the school and community would support the family upon their return.
“He is devastated,” he said.
“He is recovering well, but her brother remains hospitalized and continues treatment.”
Khan added that it could take more than a month before the boy is fit to travel back to Australia.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to the family.
Western Australia Attorney General Tony Buti described the incident on Sunday as a tragic case of “mistaken identity”.
“Our thoughts and concerns are with the family and the Pakistani community in Western Australia,” he said.
The Pakistani Association of Western Australia said the Ahmed family has, for the time being, requested privacy.
“We remain in contact with the family as they endure this difficult period,” the community group said.