The Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has referred a petition seeking a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigation into the killing of nine-year-old Hania in Chakwal to the agency’s director general for a decision in accordance with the law.

Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan heard the petition on Friday, with officials from the Crime Control Department (CCD) and Punjab Police appearing before the court.

During the hearing, police officials informed the court that a case had already been registered over the child’s killing and that a suspect had been arrested.

The court subsequently disposed of the writ petition and directed the FIA director general to decide the application in accordance with the law.

The petitioner’s counsel, Mian Asif Mahmood, argued that Hania was killed in firing by CCD personnel and that authorities later claimed two alleged robbers had also been killed in the same incident.

He contended that the matter amounted to a triple murder case and should therefore be investigated by the FIA rather than the department involved.

“The suspect belongs to the CCD, and the department cannot conduct an impartial investigation into its own case,” the lawyer told the court.

Following the arguments, the court instructed the FIA chief to decide the petition in line with the law.

Nine-year-old Australian-Pakistani Hania was killed on June 10 when CCD officials allegedly opened fire on her family’s vehicle in Chakwal after reportedly mistaking it for that of suspected robbers. The family had been visiting Chakwal on holiday when the incident occurred. Hania suffered multiple bullet wounds and died at the scene.

Earlier, a post-mortem examination confirmed that the child died from multiple gunshot injuries. According to the medico-legal report, 11 bullet and injury marks were found on her body, with severe damage to vital organs, including the heart, liver, lungs, chest and abdomen.