Daughters of Asia Bibi in Canada: source

Ottawa: The daughters of Pakistani Christian woman Asia Bibi, whose blasphemy case spotlighted religious extremism in her country, are now in Canada, a source close to the case said Wednesday.

Unconfirmed Pakistani reports earlier claimed the children had already fled to Canada, and speculation was rampant that she would seek asylum in North America or Europe.

Canadian officials reached by AFP would not confirm the source’s information.

Bibi, a labourer from central Punjab province, was convicted of blasphemy in 2010 and was on death row in the Muslim majority country until her acquittal last year which prompted days of violent Islamist demonstrations.

Under a deal with protesters to end the violence, the government allowed a petition demanding an appeal against the acquittal.

But Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa on Tuesday threw out the petition, lifting the last legal hurdle in the case and paving the way for her to leave the country.