A nine-year-old Australian girl has been tragically killed and two of her family members injured after police in Pakistan opened fire on their rental car, mistaking them for robbers, local media report.
Incident Details
The family, from the Perth suburb of Kewdale, were visiting a relative in Chakwal, in Punjab province, when they were robbed while in their rental car on Wednesday night local time, according to Pakistani English-language news outlet Dawn.
Two robbers on a motorcycle, one armed with a pistol, fled when spotted by a police officer. The rental car also drove off at the same time.
"As the cops saw the vehicle being driven away immediately, they took it as belonging to the robbers and opened indiscriminate fire on the car," a police official told local media.
Casualties and Injuries
The family was rushed to hospital, where the nine-year-old girl was pronounced dead. Her father and older brother sustained serious injuries, while her mother was unharmed.
Official Response
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing consular assistance to the family of the deceased Australian and to the two injured Australians.
"We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time," a department spokesperson said in a statement.
The Pakistani Association of Western Australia general secretary, Asim Chaudhry, expressed shock at the incident, noting its impact on the local community. "This news is very shocking, especially the death of the nine-year-old," he told Nine News. "They just came from the pilgrimage [to Mecca]."
