Man acquitted of blasphemy killed by Pakistani policemen with an axe

A Pakistani police constable has been arrested after killing a man with an axe who was acquitted of blasphemy charges last year, a police spokesman said.

Waqas Ahmed was tried and acquitted in 2016 over a Facebook post.

Abdul Qadir, a policeman in Rahim Yar Khan, Punjab province, was enraged by the verdict and assaulted him with a cleaver late on Friday. 

"He... had been planning to kill him since 2016 over allegations of disrespecting the Prophet Mohammed," said Rana Muhammad Ashraf, a police official.

Ahmed Nawaz, a police spokesman, confirmed the incident, adding that the victim's brother was also injured in the attack.

"The constable voluntarily gave himself up to the police," Nawaz said.

According to police, the attacker and the victim were both from the same tribe and village, and they were examining whether there was any personal animosity between them. 

In Pakistan, blasphemy is a serious offence, punishable by death. The law, however, is difficult to fight as it does not clearly define what is blasphemous. Presenting evidence can sometimes be considered a violation in itself.

Blasphemy is a controversial topic in the Islamic Republic, with critics claiming that the rules are sometimes used to settle personal scores and unfairly target minorities. 

(With inputs from agencies)