A Chinese national arrested in Pakistan on blasphemy charges was released on bail on Friday, police said, a rare move in the South Asian nation where judges often postpone such cases for years fearing retribution.
The man, who worked at a hydro-power project in northern Dasu and was not identified by police for fear of reprisals, was accused by fellow workers last week of insulting the Prophet Muhammad.
Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan and though no one has ever been executed, numerous people have been lynched by outraged mobs after being accused, including a man in February and a Sri Lankan factory manager in 2021.
