A nine-year-old Australian girl was killed after police opened fire on a vehicle during a robbery incident in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, authorities and media reports said.

The family, who hold Australian citizenship and had travelled from Perth to visit relatives in Chakwal, were sitting in their car outside a relative’s house on Wednesday night when two armed robbers on a motorcycle approached and robbed them of cash and jewellery, according to a report by Australian broadcaster Sky News.

The family consisted of 39-year-old Adeel Ahmed, his wife Dr Sidra Khan, their 10-year-old son Affan Ahmed and their nine-year-old daughter Hania Ahmed.

A police officer returning from a nearby police station witnessed the robbery and opened fire on the suspects, prompting an exchange of gunfire. The robbers escaped on a motorcycle, the report said.

As the incident unfolded, Adeel Ahmed attempted to drive his family away from the scene. Additional police personnel arriving at the location allegedly mistook the moving vehicle for that of the fleeing robbers and opened fire.

Hania Ahmed was killed at the scene after being struck by a bullet, while her father and brother sustained serious injuries. Dr Sidra Khan was unharmed.

The injured were taken to the hospital and later transferred to Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi. The Punjab Home Department launched an investigation into the incident.