Pakistan arrests Chinese engineer for blasphemy in Ramadan row

A Chinese engineer working in northern Pakistan was arrested under blasphemy charges. According to South China Morning Post, the engineer was working in China’s Gezhouba Group Company and was part of the team who was working on the Dasu hydropower project in Kohistan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. As per the report, after the Chinese engineer made those defamatory remarks, a mob of hundreds of people gathered on the highway that connects Pakistan and China. The Islamic country is known for its stringent Blasphemy law. Earlier this year, it was reported that the Pakistani administration banned the social media site Wikipedia for its “blasphemous contents”. 

According to South China Morning Post, the Chinese national who was arrested was identified by the local police as “Mr Tian”. Tian made blasphemous remarks during an argument with Pakistani subordinates. Police stated that Tian was in charge of heavy machinery at the Dasu hydropower project. After getting arrested, Tian will now face a formal police investigation which will eventually lead to the Chinese national getting indicted in the Pakistani magistrate’s court. 

Protestors blocked the Highway after the news spread 

Following the brawl, the local police reached the Chinese residential camp to detain Tian for his remarks. According to South China Morning Post, Tian made blasphemous remarks during a heated conversation about the workers returning late from prayers during Ramadan. After the news of the incident broke out, it angered several people in the region. Mobs started slowly gathering and started pelting stones at the residential camp where the Chinese national was residing. According to South China Morning Post, hundreds of men even started blockading the Karakoram highway which is the only road connecting Pakistan and China. In the midst of all the chaos, the leader of the council, Maulana Aziz-ur-Rehman urged residents to let the law take its course and cautioned them from attacking other Chinese nationals who are residing in that area.