An infant in Karachi, Pakistan, tragically died when a bullet from a gun her father was cleaning accidentally discharged and struck her in the head, local media reported. The incident occurred on Thursday in the Federal B Area of Azizabad, according to Dawn.
The accident has highlighted the ongoing issue of gun proliferation in the country, which has resulted in numerous fatalities over the years. Station House Officer (SHO) Imran Afridi from Azizabad Police Station stated that the infant was injured inside her home when her father, while cleaning his pistol, accidentally discharged the firearm. The bullet hit his infant daughter in the head, leading to her death.
The father has been taken into custody for questioning and has admitted that the shooting was an unintended accident. The child’s mother corroborated this account with a video and written statement, describing the incident as an accidental discharge, as reported by Dawn.
Despite these statements, police have not closed the investigation, and the infant’s body has been sent for a post-mortem examination.
Pakistan has experienced numerous firearm-related incidents over the years. Celebratory gunfire during festive occasions has often resulted in injuries and fatalities. On the eve of Independence Day, celebratory gunfire in Karachi led to the injury of at least 95 people and the death of a child.
Gun-related accidents have also been reported in other incidents this year. In August, a student was accidentally shot at Jamia Farooq-i-Azam in Jhang. Earlier in April, a TikToker was killed by a stray bullet while filming a video with a pistol.
Data from the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) indicates that firearm misuse and accidental discharges are significant issues, contributing to a high number of injuries and deaths annually.
(With ANI Inputs)
