Canberra on Monday demanded an explanation from Pakistan after a 10-year-old Australian girl was fatally shot by police in the country’s eastern province of Punjab last week.
The tragedy occurred overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday during a police operation, as the child and her family were being threatened by armed men who had stopped their vehicle, according to local police.
“In the confusion, the police officer involved mistakenly believed that the suspects were attempting to flee in the victims’ vehicle and opened fire on it,” police said in a statement.
“This erroneous decision led to the tragic death of Hania, 10, and caused injuries to her father and brother,” the statement added.
According to Australian media reports, the family, who are Australian nationals, were visiting relatives in Pakistan.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday that he expected “a transparent and thorough investigation into the circumstances” of the incident, which he described as “truly devastating.”
Punjab police said the officer involved had been placed in custody pending investigation and that authorities were conducting a “comprehensive and impartial inquiry to ensure that justice is served.”
“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. While our officers operate in high-risk environments, nothing justifies any breach of our rules of engagement,” the force added.
Security conditions remain fragile, particularly at night, across large parts of Pakistan, where firearms are widespread, although Punjab is generally regarded as one of the country’s safer regions.
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