There's growing fears over the safety of Christians in Pakistan, after the country's Federal Sharia Court ruled death as the only punishment for blasphemy.
The court's now asking the country's Government to review the legislation which currently sees most defendants convicted of blasphemy serve a life sentence, even though the official penalty for defaming Islam's prophet Mohammed is death.
The decision by the Sharia court would rule out jail sentences for those found guilty of blasphemy and mandate their execution.
The UK-based religious liberty group, Release International, believes the move, if implemented, could result in further attacks and accusations against Pakistan's Christian minority.
It could also lead to the quick execution of those who have already been falsely accused of blasphemy, with the ruling by the Federal Sharia Court representing a significant push towards hard-line Islamic law in Pakistan, according to Release. The organisation says it fears death by hanging could come within weeks of conviction if the President decides to implement the order, which was passed by the Sharia court last Wednesday.
Andrew Boyd from the charity spoke to Premier's Des Busteed during the News Hour.
According to the charity, accusations of blasphemy are often levelled against individuals as a way of taking revenge or settling scores.
Just the accusation can result in assassination, even for those cleared of the charges.
Release contacts in Pakistan say the Sharia court wants to see the order implemented 'within a couple of months'. If that happens, they say, those convicted of blasphemy may not get the chance to appeal.
Currently, many Christians are convicted and then spend years languishing in jail waiting for their appeal to be heard in court.
They include Asia Bibi, the first Christian woman to be sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy - a charge she denies.
Asia, a farm labourer from Punjab, remains on death row, awaiting appeal; she was first detained in 2009. Release's partners also fear the move could open the door to hard-line Sharia law in Pakistan and an increase in religious persecution.
The Federal Sharia Court announced its decision last Wednesday, citing a ruling it made in 1990 that the penalty for blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed under Section 295-C should be the death sentence.
Under the constitution, the Federal Sharia Court has jurisdiction over deciding whether the laws of the country comply with Sharia (Islamic law).
If a law is found to violate principles of Islamic law, the President should 'amend the law' so it complies with 'the injunctions of Islam'.
Release and other religious liberty groups have long campaigned for the repeal of Pakistan's notorious blasphemy laws, which they say, conspire to create a culture of religious intolerance and result in vigilantism. In July 2010, Pastor Rashid Emmanuel and his brother, Sajid, who were on trial for blasphemy, were shot dead outside the courtroom.
And as recently as last month, Pakistani Christian Adnan Masih, accused of blasphemy against the prophet Mohammed, surrendered himself voluntarily into police custody after receiving death threats. High-profile figures who have dared to speak out against the blasphemy laws have paid with their lives.
In January 2011, Punjab Governor Salman Taseer was shot dead by one of his bodyguards.
Two months later, Government Minorities Affairs Minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, also an outspoken critic of the legislation, was assassinated in Islamabad. Release International says that while blasphemy cases are brought against other religious groups, including Muslims, the number brought against Christians is disproportionately high.