By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: A Chinese national, working at the Dasu Hydropower Project in Upper Kohistan, was arrested on blasphemy charges in northwestern Pakistan, after allegedly insulting Islam, authorities said on Monday.
The individual, identified as “Mr. Tian,” is the head of heavy transport at the China Gezhouba Group Company, which is constructing the Dasu hydropower project around 350 kilometers north of Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
Tian, an engineer, was apprehended by police hours after hundreds of residents and laborers working on a dam project blocked a key highway and demanded his arrest in the town of Komela, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Tian was later transported via a Pakistan Army helicopter from Upper Kohistan to Abbottabad due to concerns for his safety. The action was taken as a precautionary measure, police said.
Area police official Naseeruddin Khan told reporters that the incident occurred on Saturday when Tian reportedly made insulting remarks and derogatory gestures towards Allah and the Prophet Mohammad, during a dispute with local driving staff while they were collectively offering afternoon prayers at the worksite to speed up the pace of work.
The alleged blasphemy act caused outrage among the local staff, leading to angry protests across the Kohistan district where the project is being built. Hundreds of protesters blocked the main highway linking Pakistan with China, and the demonstrations only subsided pre-dawn on Monday when the Chinese national was taken into custody.
The mob was restrained by police and paramilitary soldiers and local reports claimed that aerial warning shots were fired to prevent a riot.
The demonstrators were assured that the Chinese engineer would face legal repercussions and then the protestors dispersed after four hours. Traffic on the busy Karakoram Highway was later restored.
Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in predominantly Muslim Pakistan and is punishable by death. Rights groups have criticized the blasphemy laws, which are also used to intimidate religious minorities and settle personal disputes in Pakistan.
In December 2021, a Sri Lankan factory manager was beaten to death by co-workers in the country’s central Punjab province after he was falsely accused of insulting Islam. Six men were later sentenced to death for lynching the foreigner.
Although blasphemy accusations are common in Pakistan, foreigners are rarely among those arrested.
Meanwhile, the security of the Chinese nationals working on the World Bank-financed Dasu hydropower project has been tightened. China has previously urged Pakistan to ensure the security of its workers and engineers working on bilateral projects in the country.
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