Global Courant 2023-04-28 13:04:21
ISLAMABAD – A Chinese citizen charged with blasphemy in Pakistan has been released on bail after an anti-terror court ruled that no crime had been committed.
The chief prosecutor in the blasphemy case kept changing his statement, a police official said.
Bail has been granted until the case is finalized, which could take several months.
The Chinese citizen is the head of the transportation department of the Dasu power plant, which is currently under construction, and was detained more than a week ago.
Police had filed a complaint against the Chinese director, identified as Tian, at the request of local workers and residents for speaking out against Islam during an argument.
According to the Dawn newspaper, he has not been taken to court for security reasons.
Blasphemy is a sensitive subject in the Muslim-majority country.
Many suspects have been beaten to death by angry mobs before an investigation.
Pakistan is one of the flagship destinations of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.
China is involved in the construction of most of Pakistan’s power plants, but is facing arrears and is the target of a new wave of terror attacks.
Militants targeted the same Dasu energy project two years ago with a bomb attack that killed 12 Chinese workers on a bus. BLOOMBERG
