A Chinese worker was charged with blasphemy in northern Pakistan on Monday after angry workers surrounded his office accusing him of insulting the Prophet Mohammad, then stormed a police station to try to find him, officials said.

An anti-terrorism court in Abbottabad sent on Monday a Chinese supervisor at the Dasu dam construction project to jail on a 14-day judicial remand over blasphemy allegations.

A written complaint filed with the police identified the accused as a heavy transport supervisor by the name of “Mr Tian” and said that his remarks on Saturday “sparked tensions”.

The Chinese national was airlifted to Abbottabad over fears that the man might be attacked after locals protested over the incident on Sunday night. The police arrested the suspect on Monday after which the people dispersed.

The apparent incident took place on April 15 after Zuhr prayers identified him only as a heavy transport supervisor by the name of “Mr Tian”, and said that his alleged remarks on Saturday “sparked tensions”. Thousands of people were protesting near the CR-9 area of the dam project, it added.

The FIR invoked Section 295 C (use of derogatory remarks, etc., in respect of the Holy Prophet) of the Pakistan Penal Code and sections 6 (terrorism) and 7 (punishment for acts of terrorism) of the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Upper Kohistan Khatib Maulana Ataur Rehman urge the people on Sunday to remain peaceful as he demanded that the accused must be presented in a court of law.

Maulana Muhammad Tahir told BBC Urdu that the Chinese national allegedly made blasphemous remarks on Friday. There was no protest on the incident initially, but later as the details came out, people started protesting on the issue.

Blasphemy is punishable by death in Pakistan, though no executions have ever been carried out for the crime.

Earlier this year, a mob lynched a detainee in Nankana Sahib for allegedly desecrating the Holy Quran.