Islamabad: A Christian man, accused of sending a derogatory poem about Islam over WhatsApp, is on the run in Pakistan.
It has been claimed that the message revealed derogatory words about the Prophet Muhammad and other Islamic holy figures.
If caught, he will be tried under Pakistan's blasphemy law which has a mandatory death penalty.
Police say Nadeem Masihm James, from the town of Sarai Alamgir, disappeared after the allegations were made, with contradicting reports suggesting that the man's relatives had been taken into "protective custody".
Police are currently searching for the accused, Nadeem James, who has fled his home in fear of his life.
"Police have registered a case on blasphemy charges against Nadeem James and are searching for him as he has fled his home," a local official told AFP, according to The Express Tribune.
James, from Father Colony of Sraey Alamgir, reportedly had a minor dispute with Yasir Bashir, who has claimed that Nadeem defiled the name of the Prophet.
Following the incident, local police official Mohammad Asim told the Associated Press that officers were guarding a local church to prevent any violence against the local Christian population, while security has also been increased in Christian neighbourhoods due to local tension concerning the complaint.
However, the laws are often misused to settle personal scores and target minorities. In 2015, Muslims beat to death a Christian couple and burned their bodies in a brick kiln for allegedly desecrating the Quran.
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