A committee of Pakistani senators is to launch a review of the nation’s blasphemy laws, giving a rare glimpse of hope to campaigners.

Christians in Pakistan have long demanded reform of the laws, which have led to high-profile cases such as that of Asia Bibi, who is still awaiting her fate after being sentenced to death for blasphemy in 2010 following an argument over drinking water from a village well.

The committee of human rights of Pakistan’s Senate, or upper house of parliament, decided last week to hold a series of meetings to discuss the laws with legal experts, religious scholars and other relevant bodies, including the Council of Islamic Ideology.