ISLAMABAD – A Chinese citizen accused of blasphemy in Pakistan was released on bail after an anti-terror court ruled that no offence had been committed. 

The main accuser in the blasphemy case kept changing his statement, according to a police official.

Bail has been granted until the case is concluded, which may take a few months.

The Chinese citizen is the head of the transport department at Dasu power plant, which is currently under construction, and was detained more than a week ago. 

The police had registered a complaint against the Chinese executive, identified as Tian, on the request of local workers and nearby residents for speaking against Islam in an argument.

He was not brought to court due to security reasons, according to the Dawn newspaper. 

Blasphemy is a sensitive issue in the Muslim-majority nation.

Many accused have been beaten to death by angry mobs before an investigation. 

Pakistan is one of the flagship destinations for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt and Road Initiative.

China is involved in the construction of most power plants in Pakistan, but has been troubled by payment delays and being targeted in a fresh wave of terror attacks. 

Militants targeted the same Dasu power project two years ago with a bomb blast that killed 12 Chinese workers travelling in a bus. BLOOMBERG