Perth: Pakistani officer to face trial for Perth girl's killing; Sauma earns national praise for Indian dining
A Pakistani police officer will stand trial over the shooting death of a 9-year-old Perth girl in Pakistan, after an inquiry rejected his self-defence claims, with the case closely watched by Perth's South Asian community. Meanwhile, Perth's Indian dining scene is earning national recognition, with the modern Indian bar and restaurant Sauma being praised as a destination that showcases Indian cuisine at its very best.
Pakistani Officer to Face Trial Over Killing of 9-Year-Old Perth Girl
A Pakistani police officer is set to stand trial over the death of a 9-year-old Perth girl, following the conclusion of an inquiry in Pakistan. The inquiry, whose findings were reported by the Sydney Morning Herald on 22 August 2026, examined the circumstances surrounding the girl's death and assessed whether the officer's actions amounted to a lawful act of self-defence. The inquiry rejected that claim, determining that the self-defence argument could not be sustained, and cleared the path for a formal criminal trial to proceed. The case centres on a shooting death that occurred in Pakistan, involving a child who was from Perth, Western Australia. The inquiry's finding represents a meaningful step toward legal accountability, as it moves the matter out of a preliminary investigative phase and into the formal court system under Pakistani law. The determination that a trial will proceed — rather than the case being dismissed on self-defence grounds — means that the officer will now have to answer to the charges in a full criminal proceeding. For Perth's Pakistani-Australian community and for those who have followed the case, the outcome of the inquiry is a significant milestone in the pursuit of justice for the young girl's family. [1]
🍛 Sauma Earns National Praise as Perth's Standout Modern Indian Restaurant
WAtoday's Good Food section has published an enthusiastic review of Sauma, a modern Indian bar and restaurant in Perth, declaring that it showcases Indian food at its best. The review, written by food critic Max Veenhuyzen and published on 18 July 2026, positions Sauma as a dining destination that transcends the familiar expectations of Indian restaurants in Western Australia. Veenhuyzen describes the restaurant as approachable and adventurous, fun yet focused, and says it feels perfect for now — a phrase that captures Sauma's contemporary sensibility and its ability to connect with a broad dining audience. The review explicitly challenges the butter-chicken benchmark that has long defined the genre in Australia, suggesting that Sauma ventures far beyond comfort-food staples to deliver something more ambitious and exciting. Among the specific dishes highlighted, plump tandoor-roasted thighs served in a high-toned sauce of mint and green chilli are cited as exemplary of the kitchen's approach — familiar techniques elevated through bold flavour combinations that may restore a diner's faith in chicken tikka. Sauma operates as a bar-restaurant hybrid, blending informal hospitality with attentive service in a format well suited to the modern dining culture of Perth. The review, published on WAtoday's Good Food platform, positions Sauma as a genuine standout not merely by local standards but by any measure of quality Indian dining in Australia. [4]
Sources: [1] SMH.com.au · [4] WAtoday