A jirga of clerics met on Wednesday and decided to bring two interpreters as evidence before the Abbottabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC). The court had scheduled to hear the case of a Chinese national who was accused of blasphemy and was supposed to appear in court on Thursday.
According to Maulana Waliullah Tohidi, they wanted the ATC to punish the Chinese national under the blasphemy portion of the legislation.
The clergy also suggested that if someone acquits the defendant, they should deport him to his native country.
The ulema and religious experts who had assisted in defusing the tension when demonstrators stopped the Karakoram Highway demanding the arrest of the Chinese were also present at the jirga.
Jirga Attendees
Maulana Azizur Rehman and Maulana Attaur Rehman were among those who attended the jirga, which chose to submit two translators as witnesses to the alleged blasphemous words made by the Chinese national.
“Kohistanis are patriotic Pakistanis and they would never allow anybody to sabotage the Dasu hydropower project. We will firmly oppose any conspiracy against the mega energy project as the attack on a bus carrying Chinese nationals in 2021 left nine Chinese and four other people dead,” Maulana Tohidi stated.
He claimed that they would bring the interpreters before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) to record their testimonies in accordance with Section 164 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
“Two interpreters and three labourers were present around the Chinese national when he hurled sacrilegious remarks and only one of them understood what exactly the Chinese did,” he said.
Maulana Tohidi stated:
If the Chinese national accused of blasphemy is acquitted of the charges, the authorities should deport him to his native country.
Authorities stopped the construction on the dam earlier this week after the incident, but they resumed it following the arrest of the Chinese national in response to the demands of the protestors.
FIR filed at Kamila police station
An FIR filed at the Kamila police station in Upper Kohistan under Section 295-C of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
According to the FIR, some workers and translators said that the suspect made “sacrilegious remarks” when they requested a break to pray. On Sunday night, authorities received information of a crowd attempting to break into a Chinese camp near Barseen.
According to the report, a police party raced to the scene, closed the area, and transported the suspect to the Kamila police station.
Also Read: Ruling Coalition Shows Willingness To Discuss Elections On Same Day With Other Parties
