Father of Australian girl shot by police while visiting Pakistan demands justice

Hania Ahmed, 9, was killed in a police shooting in Pakistan after robbers confronted her family as they visited a relative’s home Hania Ahmed, 9, was killed in a police shooting in Pakistan after robbers confronted her family as they visited a relative’s home Father of Australian girl shot by police while visiting Pakistan demands justice Hania Ahmed, 9, died after Punjab police opened fire on suspected robbers as well as her family in Chakwal Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast The father of a nine-year-old Australian girl killed in Pakistan on holiday has demanded justice and to “reduce the harm” of a controversial new police wing whose officers opened fire with machine guns in response to a robbery. Hania Ahmed and her family were visiting her great-uncle Ali Ejaz last week at his home in Chakwal, Punjab province. Robbers confronted the family outside Ejaz’s home late on Wednesday, demanding they hand over cash, jewellery and other possessions, Ejaz told the Guardian. Australian PM calls for inquiry after Hania Ahmed, 9, shot dead by police while visiting Pakistan Read more He said Hania’s father, Adeel Ahmed, her mother, Hania, and brother Aafan, 11, had pleaded with them “don’t harm my family” and agreed to hand over their possessions. But within 30 seconds of that exchange, shortly before midnight, according to CCTV footage seen by the Guardian, officers from the crime control department (CCD), a newly formed Punjab police wing, arrived from a nearby station armed with machine guns and opened fire on both the robbers and the family, who were attempting to flee in a car. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email An eyewitness, who requested anonymity, told the Guardian that they had watched the incident from about 20 metres away. “I could see the car speeding and the police officer firing straight at the car,” they said. “Then the two CCD officials stopped a passerby motorbike, sat on it and followed by three or four more police personnel in a car and chased the family car.” Map showing the location of Chakwal, Pakistan Nine-year-old Hania was killed in the exchange. The Guardian understands she was hit by four bullets and died before reaching the hospital. Her father, Adeel, 39, was reportedly shot twice but was not seriously injured, according to the CCD police chief, Sohail Zafar Chatta. The family had just returned from hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, and had been due to arrive back in Australia on Monday. The incident “has shattered the family and people in the area” and the family demanded justice, Ejaz said. Pictures of a blood-stained car with dozens of bullet holes spread on social media amid public criticism of the police response. On Monday, Punjab police said an officer had “mistakenly assessed that the suspects were attempting to flee in the victims’ vehicle and discharged his weapon”. The officer has been suspended from duty, formally arrested and faced court, where he