The father of a nine-year-old Australian girl, Hania Ahmad, who was allegedly shot and killed by Pakistani police in a case of mistaken identity, has claimed he was coerced into signing a blank document before receiving medical treatment. Hania was traveling with her father, Adeel Ahmed, mother Dr. Sidra Khan, and brother Aafan in Chakwal, Punjab, on June 10 when the family was confronted by two robbers.
According to relatives, the family handed over approximately $7,500 worth of belongings to the robbers. After the suspects fled on a motorcycle, police from the Crime Control Department arrived and opened fire on the family's rental car, mistakenly believing it was the robbers' getaway vehicle. Hania sustained fatal injuries, while her father and brother were wounded and required surgery. Her mother was unharmed.
Adeel Ahmed has lodged a formal complaint, and the local district police office has launched a fact-finding inquiry. Mr. Ahmed disputes initial police reports, asserting that police opened fire first, not the robbers. He stated that Crime Control Department personnel chased their vehicle and fired upon it.
Mr. Ahmed alleges that following the shooting, he and his son were pressured by police to provide signatures and fingerprints on a blank document before they would receive medical attention. A document seen by Pakistani media outlet Dawn reportedly states that authorities coerced the applicant into signing, threatening that medical aid would be withheld otherwise.
Ali Mardan Shah, vice president of the Pakistani Association of WA, commented that Mr. Ahmed was in an untenable position, needing immediate medical care for his son and having just lost his daughter.
In July, Punjab Police announced that the officer alleged to have opened fire had been charged with murder, describing the actions as a severe deviation from the force's conduct. The officer was also suspended.
Professor Emerita Samina Yasmeen, director of the University of WA's Centre for Muslim States and Societies, expressed hope for serious action from the Pakistani government. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has also called for transparency and a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the shooting. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing assistance to the family.