CHAKWAL: According to the information provided to Focus Pakistan, this happened on Wednesday evening after the family had returned from their trip for Hajj, when they were heading towards their relative’s house in Chakwal to have dinner. It is claimed by sources that two masked individuals on a motorbike confronted them in front of their car and robbed some jewelry worth around Rs500,000 from Dr. Sidra Khan, after which a CCD policeman fired shots at the culprits, and this act was followed by mistaking their car as the escape vehicle.
The family vacation, which started out as an accomplishment of Hajj, was marred by a tragedy that occurred late Wednesday night in the Chakwal region of Punjab province. Nine-year-old Hania Ahmed, who is a dual citizen of Australia and Pakistan, was killed when the CCD officers opened fire at the vehicle containing her family members while responding to an armed robbery incident.
Account of how the Hania Ahmed Chakwal shooting incident occurred
The family members of Hania – Adeel Ahmed and Dr Sidra Khan (parents) and Aafan (her brother) – were back from their visit of Hajj to Saudi Arabia and made a stopover at Chakwal where they had a family gathering near the place of their relative. Suddenly, two men came on motorcycle and took jewellery valued around Rs500, 000 from Dr Sidra Khan.
The officer who saw this snatch attempt happened to have a submachine gun available at a post nearby, and he shot at the fleeing motorbike. Amidst all this chaos, Adeel Ahmed managed to move away from the scene because he was getting his children out of the danger of the shooting. But unfortunately, the CCD men confused their cars and lost sight of whose car was being robbed and whose was with the family members. Consequently, they chased them and shot the moving car, causing it to crash into the family’s own gate.
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After death declared of Hania, Father and brother operated on
Hania Ahmed succumbed to her injuries upon reaching the hospital. Hania’s father, Adeel Ahmed and his brother Aafan underwent surgery at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Adeel Ahmed has been discharged while Aafan is still receiving treatment. There were no physical injuries reported on Dr Sidra Khan.
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Confirmation from Australia regarding consular services
As a result of being Australian citizens, the case of shooting in Chakwal attracted immediate attention at an international level. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia has confirmed that they are giving consular assistance to the family concerned, and condolences have been expressed about the death of the child, which adds diplomatic pressure for an investigation into the issue.
Promise for action from police, JIT established
The CCD Regional Officer Hasan Jehangir Watoo and Chakwal District Police Officer Kashif Zulfiqar have met with the Hania family and assured them that the guilty will be punished. A Joint Investigation Team has also been set up to find out precisely what went wrong during the entire process, from the theft to the shooting of the wrong car.
An existing force facing scrutiny
The incident where Hania Ahmed Chakwal was killed is one that comes at a time when the CCD in Punjab, whose aim is to fight organized crime and violent criminals, has itself faced some criticism. The period leading up to this incident saw a lot of concern raised regarding the CCD’s aggressive style of operations. The killing of the young girl based on an innocent mistake certainly raises the stakes for this controversy.
Nayab Fatima is a university graduate and an emerging media professional with a strong passion for journalism, research, and independent reporting. She specializes in developing well-researched, fact-based, and analytical news stories covering a wide range of sectors, with particular expertise in technology, telecommunications, aviation, and the automobile industry.
