CHAKWAL:
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday demanded a judicial inquiry into the murder of a nine-year-old Pakistani-Australian girl by the Crime Control Department (CCD) Punjab in Chakwal.
Hania Ahmed was fatally shot after Chakwal law enforcement officers shot at her family’s car last Wednesday. The attack also seriously injured his father, 39-year-old Adeel Ahmed, and 10-year-old brother Aafan Ahmed, while his mother remained unharmed in the incident.
The shooting was widely covered by Australian and international media, sparking calls for an independent investigation to determine the actual circumstances that led to the incident.
“We demand an immediate judicial investigation into this incident,” the HRCP said in a post on
“The CCD appears to systematically adopt the use of lethal force as a tactic to ‘control’ crime,” the organization lamented.
He noted that he had documented 808 encounters with police, killing at least 1,100 suspects since the department was established in April last year.
“The fact that this normalization of deadly force outside of due process has directly resulted in the death of a nine-year-old child should be a wake-up call to the Punjab government,” the message said.
“While the CCD has acknowledged that this incident constituted a “breach” of ministerial rules, the incident cannot be treated as an isolated operational failure, nor can internal accountability replace independent oversight.
HRCP notes with concern that extrajudicial killings have continued in Punjab, despite the organization warning the Punjab government in a previous report that @CCD_Punjab appears to be systematically adopting the use of lethal force as a tactic to “control” crime. Since…
– Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) June 18, 2026
Meanwhile, a civil society activist appealed to Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) Chief Justice Aminuddin Khan to take suo motu cognizance of the Chakwal incident.
Civil Society Network Pakistan President Abdullah Malik, in a video message shared on social media, referred to a letter sent to the judge seeking “intervention” from the Constitutional Court to “enforce” the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution.
The letter cited Articles 9 and 10A of the Constitution, guaranteeing every citizen the fundamental rights to due process and fair trial. Furthermore, he said that Articles 8 to 28 emphasized that the State and its institutions were obliged to protect and uphold these fundamental rights.
The plea expressed “deep sadness and concern” that the nation had witnessed the “tragic murder of nine-year-old Hania in Chakwal, allegedly due to indiscriminate firing by CCD officials, in Punjab”.
Malik highlighted the immense trauma suffered by the family following the child’s death from gunshot wounds.
The letter said the first information report (FIR) was initially registered under Section 322 of the Pakistan Penal Code and was later updated to include Section 302 “only after widespread public outrage, media scrutiny and demands from civil society”.
He added that “such circumstances have given rise to serious concerns about the fairness, transparency and independence of the investigation. The present case is not simply an isolated incident but raises serious constitutional questions affecting the lives and liberties of all citizens.”
Malik further asked, “Why are the suspects not produced before the competent courts for a fair and impartial trial as guaranteed under Section 10A?” »
He questioned the police “assuming the role of investigator, prosecutor, judge and executioner, contrary to the constitutional framework”.
Malik also questioned why due process established by law was not followed.
The letter emphasized that all suspects and accused enjoyed fundamental rights under constitutional cover and that no executive authority had the right to punish or execute anyone without a judicial decision.
Malik called for an immediate investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy, while stressing that “extrajudicial killings seriously undermine the rule of law, weaken public confidence in the justice system and erode the supremacy of the constitution.”
The activist hoped that the FCC would take cognizance of the murder on its own initiative and lead the establishment of an independent and transparent investigation under his supervision.
He also pleaded with Justice Khan to ask the Punjab government and the CCD to explain the legal basis, statutory authority and standard operating procedures governing the use of deadly force.
The civil society leader also demanded that all those responsible involved in these “unlawful killings” be prosecuted in strict compliance with the law.
He asked the FCC Chief Justice to examine the role and responsibility of the Punjab CCD chief to determine any lapse on his part and initiate action in accordance with law.
The activist implored the judge to issue relevant directions and orders to ensure the protection of human life and dignity, while noting that exceptions could be established through legal discourse.
The incident
According to police and family sources, Adeel – an Australian citizen residing in Perth – had arrived in Pakistan with his wife, Dr Sidra, and their children for a family holiday. The couple had recently performed Haj and were visiting relatives across the region.
The incident happened late in the evening when the family was going to a relative’s house for dinner. Near the CCD police station in Chakwal, armed suspects on a motorcycle intercepted the family’s vehicle and robbed them of money and jewelry.
An exchange of fire then took place between arriving CCD personnel and the robbers. Panicked, Adeel tried to speed up and get his family away from the scene. However, CCD officials, assuming that the speeding vehicle belonged to fleeing suspects, opened fire indiscriminately.
The vehicle was hit by several bullets, seriously injuring nine-year-old Hania. She was taken to the District Headquarters (DHQ) hospital but succumbed to her injuries shortly after arrival.
His father, Adeel, and brother, Affan, were also seriously shot and injured in the incident and were shifted to a specialized medical facility in Rawalpindi, where they remain under treatment. Dr. Sidra remained unharmed.
The incident sparked a strong public backlash on social media and drew condemnation from civic circles, which demanded accountability for the alleged authoritarianism of law enforcement.
In a significant legal development, authorities have amended the case against the arrested CCD official, elevating the charge to Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code from the initial registration under Section 322, which relates to manslaughter or involuntary manslaughter.
On June 16, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called for a “transparent” investigation into the death of the nine-year-old Pakistani-Australian girl “accidentally” shot dead by the Punjab CCD in Chakwal.
Hania’s autopsy report, released today, revealed that at least 11 gunshot wounds were found on her body.
According to the forensic report, five vital organs were hit by gunfire, causing injuries ranging from 1.5 to 3 centimeters. His head and neck remained unharmed, while his liver, small and large intestines, lungs and other vital organs were injured.
The first autopsy report prepared by District Headquarters Hospital Chakwal identified the cause of death as fatal gunshot wounds, polytrauma, excessive bleeding and cardiopulmonary arrest. Sources said the Punjab Forensic Laboratory in Lahore would release a detailed report later.
