Shahbaz Masih, who was arrested in 2019 on charges of blasphemy against the prophet Muhammad has been granted bail after nearly a year in prison.

The 41-year-old, who is a well known Christian in the community, was granted bail on November 10, 2020.

On December 27 last year Shahbaz was attacked by a mob of extremist Muslims who surrounded him in the city market in Faisalabad, Punjab province, Pakistan, and then dragged him to a nearby landfill where children collect paper.

As he was being attacked his Muslim friend, Muhammad Ishaq, heard his screams and rushed to help him.

But when the police arrived the mob accused Masih and his friend of burning pages of the Quran.

The mob then went to a nearby Mosque calling on Muslims through loudspeakers to kill both accused men.

Both men were arrested and taken to the local police station and jailed on charges of blasphemy before a riot started.

Both of their families went into hiding shortly after the arrests as they were being threatened by local Muslims.