The Pakistan Muslim League leader's son-in-law Safdar had submitted the passport applications on his behalf to the country's Embassy in Riyadh, party Information Secretary Siddiqul Farooq said on Saturday.

The Pakistan government now has "no excuse" to deny passports to Sharif and his wife since they have formally applied for them, Farooq was quoted as saying by daily Dawn.

Earlier, the government had maintained that it could not issue the passports since Sharif had not formally applied for it.

The PML-N leader did not deny reports that Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah was involved in efforts for a rapprochement between Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and Sharif.