Punjab police and CCD admit mistake in Chakwal girl’s killing

Punjab Police and the Crime Control Department have admitted that a fatal mistake by CCD personnel led to the killing of a nine-year-old Pakistani-Australian girl in Chakwal, calling the incident a case of criminal negligence.

The victim, identified in reports as Hania Ahmed, was killed when police opened fire on her family’s vehicle after allegedly mistaking it for a car used by fleeing robbers. Her father and brother were also injured in the firing.

Punjab Inspector General of Police Abdul Karim and CCD AIG Sohail Zafar Chattha addressed the incident at a press conference and said the department would not defend the officer’s action. Officials said the firing was a serious failure of judgment and assured that the case would proceed under criminal law.

According to police accounts, CCD personnel were responding to a robbery when the family’s vehicle came under fire. The family had reportedly been travelling in Chakwal after returning from Hajj and visiting relatives when the incident took place.

Police officials said the officer involved failed to properly identify the target before opening fire. They said the matter would not be covered up and that legal action had already been initiated.

The accused CCD official has reportedly been taken into custody, while the case has been upgraded to include murder charges under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Authorities also said the investigation would be completed transparently and the challan would be submitted in court within the required timeframe.

The killing has triggered widespread anger in Pakistan and abroad, particularly because the victim was an Australian citizen. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also called for a transparent and proper investigation into the shooting.

Hania’s father has demanded justice and questioned the police version of events, saying the family was trying to escape danger when the firing took place. The family has called for accountability so that no other family faces a similar tragedy.

Punjab Police said action would be taken according to law and that misuse of authority would not be tolerated. Officials added that the department had accepted the mistake and would cooperate with the judicial process.

The case has also renewed public debate over police conduct, operational training, and the use of force during crime response operations in Punjab.

 

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