LAHORE – Pakistani-Austrlian girl Hania Ahmed lost her life in tragic incident involving Crime Control Department (CCD) personnel, and the matter reached Lahore High Court amid calls for accountability and transparent investigation.
A petition filed by Judicial Activism Panel urged LHC to ensure independent and judicially supervised probe into the circumstances surrounding the young girl’s death.
For Hania’s family, however, the case is not merely a legal battle, it is a painful battle after a child who should have been worrying about school and playtime became the centre of a national debate on law enforcement accountability.
Advocate Azhar Siddique, representing the petitioners, told court that the incident left more than one victim. According to the petition, Hania’s father and younger brother were also injured during the firing allegedly carried out by CCD officials. He argued that the tragedy could not be dismissed as an operational mistake, calling it a serious violation of citizens’ fundamental rights.
He maintained that the state cannot allow any law enforcement agency to operate with unchecked powers, stressing that crucial evidence, including CCTV footage, wireless communications and weapon-use records, must be preserved to establish the facts.
The petition further described Hania Ahmed case as moment for Pakistan to ensure justice and human rights. It called for the registration of a murder case against those responsible and sought reforms in CCD procedures, training and oversight mechanisms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
During the proceedings, Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry questioned whether the matter fell within the jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court’s principal seat, noting that the case appeared to belong before the Rawalpindi Bench. In response, Advocate Siddique argued that broader questions regarding the legal standing and accountability framework of the CCD warranted the court’s consideration.
The court subsequently directed that the petition be heard alongside the main case.
The hearing comes as public concern continues to grow over the circumstances of Hania’s death. As legal proceedings move forward, Hania Ahmed’s family continues to await the answers they say can only come through a transparent investigation and a fair judicial process.
The killing of nine-year-old girl drawn international attention, prompting Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to call for a transparent and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
As Pakistani authorities investigate the case and the officer involved remains in custody, the tragedy has sparked outrage in both Pakistan and Australia, with calls for justice and reforms in law enforcement procedures.
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