LAHORE, Oct 8: PML-N leaders from all over the country made countless calls to Jeddah on Tuesday to know if passports had been issued to former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and his family.

But they were all disappointed to be told that a representative of the family sent to get the documents had waited at the Pakistan’s consulate-general in Jeddah but returned empty-handed in the afternoon.

He was reportedly told that the consulate would contact the exiled family at an appropriate time.

“The documents are still being processed,” diplomatic sources told Dawn when asked about progress on the subject.

The exiled former prime minister told various party leaders that his plan to travel to London had been delayed because of non-availability of the passport. However, he said, he had sent his son Hasan to London because of his appointment with doctors.

The sources refused to say whether the applicants had met all requirements and why the passports were not being handed over to them.

They refuted reports that the passports had been prepared and their delivery was being delayed for unknown reasons. “We’ll not gain anything by keeping them with us unnecessarily,” the sources said.

PML-N people have been claiming that passports had already been prepared but were not being given to the applicants.

The sources vehemently denied speculations that a ‘go-slow’ policy was being pursued under instructions from the government.

“Had it been so, the process of preparing the passports would not have been started at all,” the sources argued.

Wednesday would be a closed holiday because of Iqbal Day and the consulate in Jeddah would not work. Thursday and Friday are off days in Saudi Arabia.

Thus, apparently, no progress could be expected on this front during these days. However, the sources said that holidays would not be a consideration if the passports were to be issued.