The interior ministry said that the former PM was given a passport which would be valid for 10 years. News reports indicate that the passport was given on April 23 and it was made in the 'urgent' category.
Earlier, Minister for Interior Rana Sanaullah had stated that it was Nawaz Sharif's right to get a passport, adding that it would be issued to him 'soon'.
The newly appointed minister had termed it unfortunate that an individual who has served as the country's prime minister three times was not being given national citizenship.
In a related development, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had dismissed a petition against the issuance of a diplomatic passport to Nawaz Sharif, terming it inadmissible. The petitioner was slapped with a fine of Rs5,000.
In the complaint, the petitioner had maintained that the former prime minister should not be issued a passport because he was an 'absconding convict'.