Activists Sound Off on Pakistan Faith Persecution

The perils of religious minorities took center stage in Washington, D.C., as speakers from around the world met to highlight Christian persecution in Pakistan at the International Christian Concern press conference.

The focus of the conference was "The Hope and Peril of Religious Minorities in Pakistan."

Advocates for religious freedom talked about Pakistan's history of Christian discrimination, where a strict blasphemy law is in place. That law carries a penalty ranging from fines to death, and targets mostly non-Muslim religious minorities.

"Take a look at the headlines: 'Innocents Charged with Blasphemy,' 'Christian Couple Beaten and Then Burned Alive after Being Thrown into a Brick Furnace,'" Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, said.

"Christians, including a mother of five Asia Bibi, are sitting on death row for allegedly committing blasphemy, and another 33 are in prison for the same," he continued.

King and others believe the Obama administration should apply pressure on the Pakistani government, which they say has ignored the issue.