Islambad , Pakistan ( CNN ) -- Two prominent Pakistani Muslim leaders threatened Wednesday to call for nationwide protests if the president pardons a Christian woman sentenced to death for insulting the Muslim prophet Mohammed . `` If the president pardons Asia Bibi , we will raise our voices across the country until he is forced to take his decision back , '' nationally known mufti Muneer Ur Rehman said . Hafiz Ibtisam Elahi Zaheer , a leading cleric in Lahore , said pardoning the woman would be `` criminal negligence '' and would cause inter-religious tension . Punjab Gov . Salman Taseer told CNN Tuesday that President Asif Ali Zardari would pardon Bibi if the High Court did not grant her request for mercy . Bibi , who has been jailed for nearly 15 months , was convicted in a Pakistani court earlier this month of breaking the country 's controversial blasphemy law by insulting Islam 's Prophet Mohammed , a crime punishable with death or life imprisonment , according to Pakistan 's penal code . She was sentenced to death . A spokesman for Zardari said Wednesday that no action has been taken , but the president will pardon her if necessary . `` No decision has been taken , '' spokesman Farhatullah Babar said . `` Under the constitution , the president has to act under the advise of the prime minister . He will advise the president to take whatever action he proposes . '' Babar said jurists and legal experts have debated about whether the president has absolute power under the constitution to grant a pardon . But he said Bibi is not in danger of being executed . `` Asia can not be executed now , '' Babar said . `` Under the law , a death sentenced issued by a session court can not be carried out until it has been endorsed by the high court . '' Farahnaz Ispahani , a spokeswoman for the president , said Pakistan remains committed to protecting religious minorities . `` Pakistan is a nation of many faiths and religions , and all Pakistanis , no matter what their religion , are equal under the law , '' Ispahani said in a written statement . `` President Zardari has followed the case of Asia Bibi closely and will take appropriate action , if necessary , to issue a pardon or grant clemency to insure that Asia Bibi is neither incarcerated or harmed . '' A preliminary investigation showed Bibi was falsely accused , a government official said Monday . `` The president asked me to investigate her case , and my preliminary findings show she is innocent and the charges against her are baseless , '' Pakistani Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti told CNN . Bhatti has said he will submit a final report Wednesday to Zardari 's office . Prosecutors say Bibi , a 45-year-old field worker , insulted the Prophet Mohammed after she got into a heated argument with Muslim co-workers who refused to drink from a bucket of water she had touched because she is not Muslim . In a brief news conference at the prison where she 's being held , Bibi said last weekend that the allegations against her are lies fabricated by a group of women who do n't like her . `` We had some differences and this was their way of taking revenge , '' she said . Bibi 's death sentence sparked outrage among human rights groups , who condemned Pakistan 's blasphemy law as a source of violence and persecution against religious minorities . But Babar said the president 's party lacks the power in parliament to repeal Pakistan 's blasphemy laws . `` The manifesto of the Pakistan Peoples Party calls for the law to be repealed , but the party has not been able to repeal it because we lack the majority in parliament , '' Babar said . `` We do n't have the numbers to do it . '' Pakistan is more than 96 percent Muslim , according to the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life . Journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report .
NEW : Two Muslim leaders warn of protests if President Zardari frees Asia Bibi . She was sentenced to death for insulting Islam 's Prophet Mohammed . Presidential spokeswoman : Pakistan is committed to protecting religious minorities . A provincial governor has said the president is expected to pardon Bibi .