Pakistan: Man "accidentally" discharges gun, kills infant daughter in Karachi
Aug 30, 2024
Karachi [Pakistan], August 30 : An infant in Pakistani city of Karachi died after a bullet from the gun that her father was cleaning accidentally discharged and hit her head, local media reported.
The incident took place on Thursday in Karachi's Federal B Area in Azizabad, according to police, reported Dawn publication.
The incident has put the spotlight on the proliferation of guns within the country that has claimed the lives of many people over the years.
Station House Officer (SHO) Imran Afridi from Azizabad Police Station stated that the infant was fatally injured inside her home and that the father, who was cleaning his pistol at the time, accidentally discharged the firearm. The resulting bullet struck his infant daughter in the head, leading to her death, the policeman said as cited in the Pakistan news outlet.
Police took the man into custody for questioning and he acknowledged that the shooting was an unintended accident. The mother of the child verified this account through both a video and a written statement, describing the incident as an accidental release of the weapon, police was quoted in the Dawn.
However, police have not closed the investigation and the infant's body has been sent for a post-mortem.
Pakistan has seen a significant number of firearm-related incidents over the years. Celebratory gunfire, a common practice during festive occasions, has frequently led to injuries and fatalities.
On the eve of Independence Day, at least 95 people were injured, and a child was killed due to celebratory gunfire in Karachi.
Gun-related accidents have been reported in various other incidents this year. Earlier in August, a student was accidentally shot at Jamia Farooq-i-Azam in Jhang, reported Dawn News.
In April, a TikToker tragically lost his life when a stray bullet struck him while filming a video with a pistol.
According to data from the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), firearm misuse and accidental discharges are significant concerns, contributing to a substantial number of injuries and deaths annually.
