Police have shot and killed an Australian child in eastern Pakistan, authorities said, with Canberra calling for an investigation into the incident that also wounded two of the girl’s family members.
Police in Pakistan’s most populous eastern province, Punjab, said officers responding to a robbery exchanged fire with the suspects who were holding the passengers of a family’s car at gunpoint on Wednesday.
“In the ensuing chaos, the officer involved mistakenly assessed that the suspects were attempting to flee in the victims’ vehicle and discharged his weapon,” said the Punjab Police’s Crime Control Department in a statement.
“This erroneous decision resulted in the tragic death of 10-year-old Hania and injuries to her father and brother,” it added.
Punjab police said they had registered a criminal complaint from the victim’s father and arrested the officer involved, who appeared before a court and was remanded in custody.
Australian media reported the family was visiting relatives when the incident took place.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese – who said the child killed was nine years old – told journalists his government “expects there to be transparency and a proper investigation of these circumstances”.
Punjab police said it was conducting “a thorough, impartial investigation to ensure that justice is served.” — AFP
