[TITLE)Pakistan Police Promise Transparent Investigation Into Australian Child’s Death During Armed Robbery Response
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police on Thursday vowed a “100 percent transparent” investigation into the killing of a nine-year-old Australian girl during a police response to an armed robbery in Punjab’s Chakwal city earlier this month.
Pakistani Australian child Hania Ahmed was shot dead on June 10 when police fired at her family’s vehicle during an armed robbery incident in Punjab’s Chakwal city. Her father, Adeel Ahmed, 39, and 10-year-old brother, Aafan Ahmed, sustained critical gunshot wounds, while their mother, Sidra Khan, remained unharmed.
According to a Crime Control Department (CCD) statement, the incident occurred when gunmen intercepted the family’s vehicle and held them at gunpoint. During the confrontation, an exchange of gunfire erupted. Police later stated that CCD Constable Shujaat Mughal mistakenly believed suspects were attempting to flee in the victims’ vehicle and opened fire.
Initially charged with murder and armed robbery, authorities later arrested CCD Constable Shujaat Mughal on murder charges following public outcry and a preliminary investigation. Police also confirmed that two robbers were killed during the incident.
“I want to assure the Australian government, through our foreign office and federal government, that this investigation will be 100 percent transparent,” CCD chief Sohail Zafar Chatha told reporters in Lahore. “CCD is acting in a very neutral way. The family of the victim has trust and faith in CCD. We will uphold that trust and meet expectations. Justice will be done, and it will be seen to be done.”
Chatha’s commitment followed Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s call for a transparent investigation. The incident occurred shortly after the family returned from Hajj.
The girl’s father recounted that armed men intercepted their vehicle at approximately 11:40 p.m. near the CCD office and demanded their valuables. “My wife and I complied…My wife removed her jewelry and handed it over,” Adeel Ahmed stated in the police report. “While these individuals were robbing us at gunpoint, a shot was fired. Taking cover behind the car, the individuals began firing, and cross-firing commenced from the front.”
Adeel attempted to flee to protect his children but the vehicle was struck by gunfire from behind, wounding him and both children. The family was transported to a nearby hospital where Hania was pronounced dead.
CCD Chief Chatha acknowledged the officer’s error, stating, “The crime begins here: the gunfire was coming from the street, but the police officer believed it was coming from the vehicle. Acting on that assumption, he opened fire on the vehicle. The police officer was at fault, and his judgment was flawed. He should have positively identified the target before taking any action. He could not lawfully fire merely on the basis of suspicion or assumption.”
“We are legally bound to protect the life of innocent citizens,” Chatha continued. “In this case, the police officer was at fault because he made the wrong decision, and that excessive use of force led to the tragic death of a little girl and injuries to her brother and father.”
The shooting occurred amid heightened scrutiny of the Punjab CCD, a specialized police unit established last year to combat organized crime. Rights groups, including the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, have accused the department of carrying out extrajudicial killings disguised as police shootouts, documenting at least 670 encounters resulting in 924 deaths between April 2025 and December 2025. CCD denies these allegations.
Chatha announced the investigation would be completed and the charge sheet submitted to court by the end of next week, adding, “We will also request the court to conclude the proceedings as soon as possible.”