Girl hit by bullet during dog culling drive

Use of firearms in populated areas of Khanewal condemned

KHANEWAL:

An eight-year-old girl was critically injured after being hit by a bullet fired during a stray dog culling campaign launched by the Khanewal district administration in a tragic incident reported near Ada Khaliqabad in the jurisdiction of Talamba police station.

According to details, a bullet fired to kill a stray dog struck Sakina, leaving her in critical condition. She was initially left without any official transport and was rushed to the hospital by her parents in a private vehicle.

She has since been shifted to Nishtar Hospital, Multan, where her condition is stated to be critical.

Legal experts have strongly criticised the manner in which the campaign is being carried out.

Lawyer and former Secretary General of the Khanewal Bar Association, Chaudhry Haroon, said that such campaigns are traditionally conducted by feeding poisoned bait to stray dogs, not by indiscriminate firing.

He termed the use of firearms in populated areas "completely wrong" and warned that such negligence could lead to more fatalities in the future.

Reports indicate that a pellet from a rifle cartridge struck the girl on the head due to a lack of proper safety measures during the operation.

The incident has raised serious questions about the planning and execution of the campaign and the failure to ensure public safety.

When contacted, SHO Talamba Arslan Amjad Sahi said that the child's father was submitting a formal application.

He assured that a case would be registered against those responsible and that the accused would be arrested after legal proceedings were initiated.

Family members of the injured girl confirmed that Sakina remains under treatment at Nishtar Hospital.