They said that the passports were issued on the basis of old national identity cards. The number of Nawaz Sharif's passport is KF-438248, while the number of Kalsoom Nawaz's passport is KF-438249.
These passports were issued for duration of five years. The sources said that the passports were issued after the government of Pakistan decided to set aside rules of presenting new computerised national identity cards of Nadra for issuance of passport, as a special case. They said that in past no one had been issued passports on old national identity cards, and the case of Nawaz Sharif family was decided on special grounds.
The sources said that Nawaz Sharif family would apply for UK visa on Tuesday and they might go to London within next 24 hours.
OUR CORRESPONDENT ADDS FROM ISLAMABAD: Information minister Sheikh Rashid told a news conference on Monday the government has given a green signal to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family for issuance of new passports. The minister told a news conference the delay was due to incomplete filing of necessary documents.
Mian Nawaz Sharif and other 17 family members had submitted forms for new passports.
He said every person is bound to abide by the rules; therefore, Nawaz Sharif and his family members would also have to follow all legal formalities.
To a query whether the government intends to show such soft corner for other exiled leaders, the minister said the condition applies to Sharif family only.
"There is no such restriction on any other political leader. Everybody is allowed to come back and face the court," he maintained.
Responding to a question about the opposition's role in the national tragedy, Rashid accused the opposition of not playing its due role.
"President General Pervez Musharraf has made several requests to the opposition. PML president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain has also contacted opposition leaders but they are not serious," he regretted.
To a query about the Prime Minister's proposed parliamentary committee, he said the Prime Minister had flouted the proposal to constitute an across-the-party parliamentary committee but, so far, he (the Prime Minister) did not get any positive response.
He said parliamentary system was functioning where every member of the National Assembly has the right to know about expenditures incurred from the national kitty.