An anti-terrorism court in Abbottabad has granted bail to the Chinese man arrested on blasphemy charges, while noting a “false case” was registered by the police station in Kohistan as “a result of a misunderstanding” caused by the interpreter of the accused.
It is unusual for people accused of blasphemy to be granted bail in Pakistan. According to a Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) annual fact sheet, at least 2,120 people had been accused of committing blasphemy between 1987 and 2022. In 2022, at least 171 people were accused of committing blasphemy with 65 per cent of the cases being reported from Punjab while 19 per cent being reported from Sindh. Among 171 people, 88 were Muslims, 75 Ahmadis, four Christians, and two Hindus, while the identities of the others could not be ascertained.
The Chinese man working on the Dasu hydropower project was taken into police custody on April 17 after an angry mob gathered outside his office to attack him, for allegedly making blasphemous remarks during a workplace argument.
The engineer allegedly made blasphemous remarks during a workplace dispute about the slow pace of work during Ramzan, the Islamic month of fasting.
In the previous hearing, the court had ordered the joint investigation team to submit a report and produce eyewitnesses in the next hearing.
During the hearing on April 27, the lawyers representing the Chinese man denied the blasphemy allegations.
The JIT also presented the statements of the Chinese national and accusers to the court, Dawn reported.
The court noted the accusers could not provide evidence supporting their allegations against the accused. The judge also noted the interpreter of the Chinese man, Yasir, whose claims ignited the incident, was 35-40 feet away from the Chinese national. He had assumed that the Chinese man had uttered sacrilegious remarks.
The court ruled that the case was registered on the basis of a misunderstanding.
Granting bail to the Chinese man, the court ruled there was not sufficient evidence to prove the accused had committed blasphemy.
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