Australian girl, 9, killed in Pakistan after police open fire on rental car
A nine-year-old Australian girl was shot dead by police in Punjab province, Pakistan, after officers mistook her family's rental car for robbers' vehicle. Father and brother injured.
Tragic Incident in Pakistan
A nine-year-old Australian girl has been killed and two family members injured after police in Pakistan opened fire on their rental car, mistaking it for a vehicle used by robbers. The incident occurred on Wednesday night local time in Chakwal, Punjab province, according to Pakistani English-language newspaper Dawn.
Robbery and Misidentification
The family, visiting a relative, had been robbed by two men on a motorcycle, one armed with a pistol. When a police officer spotted the robbers, they fled, and the family's rental car also drove away. A police official told local media that officers, seeing the car drive off immediately, assumed it belonged to the robbers and opened indiscriminate fire on it.
Victims and Assistance
The family, from the Perth suburb of Kewdale, was rushed to hospital, where the girl was pronounced dead. Her father and older brother sustained serious injuries, while her mother was unharmed. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the family of the deceased and the two injured Australians. A department spokesperson expressed deepest condolences to the family during this difficult time.
Community Shock
Asim Chaudhry, general secretary of the Pakistani Association of Western Australia, said the news was very shocking, especially the death of the nine-year-old. He noted that the family had just returned from a pilgrimage to Mecca.
