ISLAMABAD: The expected deportation of Osama bin Laden's family from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia has been delayed because their passports are not ready, their lawyer said Wednesday.
The 12-member family, including bin Laden's three widows, eight children and one grandchild, had originally been due to leave overnight Tuesday. Two of the wives are Saudi nationals and the third is from Yemen.
Lawyer Muhammad Aamir told AFP they were expected to receive their passports later on Wednesday and may be able to leave for Saudi Arabia later in the day.
But a Saudi embassy official said they were still waiting for details from Pakistani authorities.
"We are waiting to receive names of the family members from the Interior Ministry to proceed further in the matter," the spokesman told AFP.
A senior security official meanwhile said Pakistan was awaiting the green light from the Saudi and Yemeni governments for the deportation to proceed.
"No timeframe can be given at the moment," he told AFP, adding that discussions were ongoing. "There is a kind of understanding but things need to be finalised."
Aamir denied speculation that the authorities in Saudi Arabia and Yemen may be reluctant to accept them.
"This is not correct," he said.
"They were scheduled to leave Pakistan for Saudi Arabia late Tuesday but the problem in completing their travel documents delayed the departure."
Officials have said that the whole family was initially expected to be flown to Saudi Arabia.