Pakistan Court docket Jails Chinese language Nationwide Charged With Blasphemy

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — A Pakistani courtroom has dominated {that a} Chinese language nationwide arrested on blasphemy fees be held in jail for 2 weeks, pending trial, a police officer mentioned Tuesday. Underneath Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy legal guidelines, anybody convicted of blasphemy could be sentenced to loss of life.

The Chinese language man, recognized by police solely as Tian, was arrested on Sunday evening, hours after a whole bunch of residents and laborers engaged on a dam venture within the city of Komela in northwestern Pakistan blocked a key freeway and rallied demanding his arrest.

Tian was a part of a gaggle of Chinese language engaged on the Dasu Dam, the largest hydropower venture in Pakistan. He was accused by Pakistani laborers of blasphemy after criticizing two drivers engaged on the venture of taking an excessive amount of time to hope throughout work hours.

Tian was whisked away from northwestern Pakistan and introduced earlier than a courtroom within the metropolis of Abottabad, the place he on Monday pleaded not responsible. He additionally insisted that he didn’t insult Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, mentioned Arshad Khan, a neighborhood police officer.

In Beijing, China’s Overseas Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin mentioned the embassy in Islamabad was trying into the state of affairs.

“The Chinese language authorities has all the time requested Chinese language residents abroad to abide by the legal guidelines and laws of their host international locations and respect native customs and traditions,” Wang advised reporters at a information convention.

Pakistani authorities say their arrest of Tian had saved him from the fingers of a crowd and potential assault by indignant residents.

Though arrests of Muslims and non-Muslims on fees of blasphemy are widespread in Pakistan, foreigners are not often amongst these arrested.

In 2021, a mob lynched a Sri Lankan man at a sports activities gear manufacturing unit within the jap Punjab province. It later burned his physique in public over allegations he desecrated posters bearing the identify of the Prophet Muhammad.

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