ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: A Chinese national, working at the Dasu Hydropower Project in Upper Kohistan, was taken into police custody on Sunday night after he was accused of blasphemy by laborers at the site.
Komila SHO Naseeruddin, while confirming the arrest, said that a first information report (FIR) has been registered against the accused.
The complaint, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, invokes Section 295-C [use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet (Peace be Upon Him)] of the Pakistan Penal Code. It was registered on the complaint of Gulistan and Yasir — both of whom are heavy vehicle drivers.
The complaint, lodged at the Komila police station, said that on Sunday night police official Jehanzeb was informed about a mob trying to break into a Chinese camp near Barseen.
It stated that locals had staged a protest and damaged the camp’s site number 6.
“After receiving the information, a police party reached the site, took control of the area and safely shifted the accused to the Komila police station,” the complaint said.
However, it stated that in the early hours of Monday, a large number of people reached Komila and once again blocked the Karakoram Highway. They also shouted slogans.
The protesters opened the Karakoram Highway for traffic after the police assured them of the registration of the FIR. Local religious leaders also urged the demonstrators to call off the protest.
(Dawn)
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