A Chinese national, who was arrested from Kohistan on charges of blasphemy, has been shifted to Abbottabad in a helicopter over safety fears, an official of Komila Police Station has said.
He was arrested from Kohistan after an angry mob gathered on Sunday night calling for his arrest.
The accused, who worked at Dasu Hydropower Project, was apparently shifted to Abbottabad in order to prevent another incident of lynching in the country.
According to the police official, the FIR had been registered against the Chinese national at the Komila police station.
“The FIR 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 FIR stated as cited by private media.
The complaint 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.
