An Australian family has been subjected to a horrific shooting while on holiday in Pakistan.
A police officer has been arrested in Pakistan’s Punjab province after an Australian girl was killed and two of her family members were wounded in what authorities described as a mistaken shooting while responding to a robbery.According to Punjab Police, officers responding to reports of a robbery on Wednesday exchanged gunfire with armed suspects who allegedly stopped a family’s car and held its occupants at gunpoint.
Police said one officer mistakenly thought the suspects were trying to flee in the family’s car and opened fire. “In the ensuing chaos, the officer involved wrongly estimated that the suspects were trying to flee in the victims’ vehicle and discharged his weapon,” the Punjab Police Crime Branch said in a statement on Sunday.The shooting led to the death of Hania, who Punjab Police said was 10 years old, and the wounding of her father and brother. But Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the victim was nine years old.Punjab Police said that a criminal complaint was registered based on the father’s statements, and the officer involved was arrested and detained by the court.Australian media reported that the family, from Perth, was visiting relatives in Pakistan when the accident occurred.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Albanese called for a transparent investigation. “Our government expects there to be transparency and proper investigation in these circumstances,” he said, adding that several family members were injured in what he described as “harsh” conditions.The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs said it is providing consular assistance to the family of the Australian citizen who was killed and his injured relatives.Punjab Police said a “comprehensive and impartial investigation” is currently underway. The force said: “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. While our personnel work in high-risk environments, there is no justification for deviating from our protocols.”
