“We can’t allow people to desecrate the name of Holy Prophet,” police officer Reza Shah in the Changa Manga area, situated more than 70 kilometres south of Punjab capital Lahore, told the English- language Dawn newspaper.

A local resident backed by two witnesses last month levelled the charge against 40-year-old Martha Bibi, who along with her husband runs a business dealing in building materials.

“The complaint lodged against her (Martha) is true,” Shah said, adding that: “Had we not arrested her, the people would have killed her.”

According to Martha’s husband, the complainant and his wife conspired against Martha when she sought payment for construction material she had sold for the construction of a local mosque.

Dawn said Martha’s family went into hiding after the incident while her relatives accused the police of “playing the judge and the jury.”