Pakistan: Man attacked inside mosque for 'blasphemous remarks'

A mob brutally attacked a man inside a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province's Chitral for allegedly uttering blasphemous remarks following Friday prayers.

The unidentified man is alleged to have pushed the imam of the mosque to allow him to speak after jummah prayers, a local present at the site told DawnNews. Eyewitnesses claim the man uttered blasphemous remarks.

The police are trying to ascertain the man's mental health and have held him at a local police station for his own protection.

After prayers, the worshippers beat the man until the imam handed him over to the police in an attempt to save his life.

However, the mob attacked and broke into the police station amid aerial firing and heavy tear gas shelling from the police.

The situation is still volatile, police said, as they attempted to cool down the mob and restore peace in the area.

The incident comes days after a vigilante mob killed 23-year-old Mardan university student Mashal Khan over allegations of blasphemy.