Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has demanded a transparent investigation into the killing of a nine-year-old Australian girl shot by a police officer while holidaying in Pakistan amid conflicting accounts of events surrounding her death.Hania Ahmed, who was visiting Pakistan with her family, was fatally shot after a local police official fired at their car in a case of mistaken identity during an armed robbery on 10 June in the northern city of Chakwal in Punjab province.The family of four was visiting a relative’s house when they encountered robbers while driving their rental car. Hania’s brother and father were also injured in the firing.Her father, Adeel Ahmed, has alleged that officers confronting the robbers fired first, contradicting police claims that they were responding after the suspects discharged a firearm.Mr Ahmed expressed dissatisfaction with the ongoing police investigation, claiming that the tragedy could have been avoided if the police had not fired first or pursued the thieves, The Tribune newspaper reported, citing an audio recording."CCD (Crime Control Department) targeted our vehicle instead of the robbers. Had I not driven away, they would have killed all of us," Mr Ahmed said from the Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi.The father said he suffered two bullet shots, including one in his arm, while his 11-year-old son was also hit twice. He said he drove to the hospital despite his injury. But his daughter, who suffered three to four bullet wounds, died before reaching the hospital.He alleged that the thieves fired two shots after the police fired on their vehicle first before fleeing with the loot they had taken from his wife at gunpoint.He said the firing was so intense that the brakes of the vehicles malfunctioned but he was able to take himself and his family to the hospital.The Independent has reached out to the Punjab Police for comment.Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra on Monday: “These circumstances do need to be examined. They need to be examined in a transparent way, so that everyone can know, the family, most importantly, but others as well.“Australia expects there to be transparency and a proper investigation of these circumstances.“My heart goes out to the family and friends, and indeed the Pakistani Australian community will be really feeling this today. A nine-year-old girl visiting Pakistan with her family should have been a time of joy.”In a lengthy statement on Monday, Punjab Police said members of the crime control department intervened after the family was taken hostage at gunpoint. The police said a suspect fired at an officer, leading to an exchange of gunfire.“In the ensuing chaos, the officer involved mistakenly assessed that the suspects were attempting to flee in the victims’ vehicle and discharged his weapon,” the statement said.“This erroneous decision resulted in the tragic death of … Hania and injuries to her father and brother.”The police said the officer who fired has been arrested and suspended from service, calling his actions a "grave deviation" from the CCD’s protocols.The police promised, “a thorough, impartial investigation to ensure that justice is served”.“We recognise that our primary duty is the protection of human life, and any failure to adhere to the principle of ‘minimum force’ is treated with the highest level of legal and departmental accountability,” local police said.The two alleged thieves were later killed in a police encounter.Crime control department officer, Sohail Zafar Chatha, said their department was on high alert in the area as at least three robberies had occurred on the same day and such suspects, often armed, have a history of firing at the police.But he said a better strategy could have been pursued to avoid the tragic incident.The family from Perth was in Pakistan after performing Hajj, the annual Islamic pilgrimage at Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Hania was in year four at her Australian Islamic College in Kewdale.The principal of the school described her as "happy, bubbly, friendly girl" who used to befriend people quite easily, and she was excited to come to school every day, ABC Radio Perth reported.