Foreign national accused of blasphemy granted bail
Pakistan
The Abbottabad anti-terrorism court judge granted the Chinese bail after he furnished a surety bond
MANSEHRA (Web Desk) – A Chinese national who was arrested on blasphemy charges has been granted bail by an anti-terrorism court and shifted to an undisclosed location.
The Abbottabad anti-terrorism court judge granted him bail after he furnished a surety bond of Rs200,000. He was not brought to court for security reasons. He was arrested in Upper Kohistan district on April 16 after a mob blocked the Karakoram Highway, accusing him of blasphemy while arguing with labourers over long prayer breaks at the project site.
The FIR of the incident was registered at the Kamila police station, Upper Kohistan, under sections 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Two lawyers represented the petitioner while a deputy public prosecutor was also present in the courtroom. The lawyers contended that their client was innocent and said the blasphemy charge against him was false.
The joint investigation team, which was set up to probe the matter, placed records of statements made by the accusers and the Chinese national before the court. Naseeruddin, the SHO of Kamila police station and main complainant in the case, appeared in court with records.
The judge ruled in his order that three labourers and their interpreter had lodged the FIR on April 17, two days after the alleged incident on April 15. He observed that the three were neither able to produce evidence in support of their accusations in court, nor could they prove charges in their statements before the JIT.
The judge said in his order that Yasir, the interpreter, was around 40 feet away from the suspect, simply assuming that he had uttered sacrilegious remarks.
“Section 295-C of PPC says whoever by words, either spoken or written, or by visible representation or by any imputation or innuendo or insinuation, directly or indirectly defiles the sacred name of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) shall be punished with death or imprisonment for life and shall also be liable to be fined in light of the available record,” the judge quoted from the section pertaining to blasphemy.
He ruled that the case did not come within the ambit of “reasonable ground” as the blasphemy charge was the “result of a misunderstanding” and that the police station concerned in Kohistan had registered a “false case” against the Chinese national.
The court ruled that according to record, no such offence was committed by the suspect and hence he was granted bail.
