A police officer in Pakistan’s Punjab province has been arrested after an Australian girl was killed and two of her family members injured in what authorities said was an accidental shooting during a response to a robbery.Police responding to reports of a robbery exchanged gunfire with armed suspects on Wednesday who allegedly stopped a family’s vehicle and pointed guns at its occupants, according to Punjab provincial police.Police said an officer mistook the suspect for trying to escape in the family’s car and opened fire. “During the ensuing chaos, the officer involved misjudged that the suspect was trying to escape in the victim’s vehicle and opened fire,” the Punjab Police Crime Control Department said in a statement on Sunday.The shooting resulted in the death of Hania, identified by Punjab police as 10 years old, and her father and brother were also injured. However, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the victim was only nine years old.The Punjab police said that based on the father’s statement, a criminal case has been registered and the police officer involved has been arrested and remanded in court.Australian media reported that the family, from Perth, were visiting relatives in Pakistan when the incident occurred.Albanez told reporters on Monday, calling for a transparent investigation. “Our government wants transparency and a proper investigation into these circumstances,” he said, adding that multiple members of the family were injured in what he called “horrendous” circumstances.Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs said it was providing consular assistance to the family of the killed Australian citizen and two injured relatives.Punjab police said a “thorough and impartial investigation” was underway. Police said: “We are deeply saddened by this tragedy. While our officers are operating in a high-risk environment, there is no excuse for breaching our regulations.”
