ISLAMABAD – A Chinese national, who is accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, was produced before the court late on Monday, after which he was sent to jail on 14-day judicial remand.
According to police, the Chinese man was brought before the court where he claimed he had been falsely accused. He reportedly said that the authorities were withholding his identity out of concern for his safety.
However, China’s foreign ministry reported on Tuesday that its embassy in Pakistan is verifying the situation regarding Chinese individual detained on blasphemy-related allegations.
Yesterday, authorities in northwest Pakistan had confirmed that a Chinese engineer was detained for allegedly insulting Islam. This put an end to heated rallies that had erupted against the foreigner overnight.
About 350 kilometres north of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, the police identified the detainee as “Mr. Tian,” head of heavy transport of the China Gezhouba Group Company working on the Dasu hydroelectric project.
The conflict started on Saturday when the Chinese manager attempted to pressure his local driving crew to speed up the pace of work while they were collectively praying at the workplace.
Official police complaint stated that the man “continued to make insulting remarks and derogatory gestures to disparage Allah and the Prophet of Muslims.”
In Pakistan, blasphemy is a serious offence that carries a death sentence, Mobs frequently assault suspects and occasionally lynch them. In most cases, the accused are found to be innocent.
