Islamabad, Dec 31 (IANS): Pakistan Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said former premier Nawaz Sharif's passport would be cancelled on February 16, 2021, the media reported on Thursday.

"Let me give you a piece of news. We will cancel Nawaz Sharif's passport on Februrary 16," Dawn news quoted Ahmed as saying while addressing reporters on Wednesday.

He did not however provide any further details.

A Ministry official told Dawn that February 16 was in fact the expiry date of Sharif's diplomatic passport.

He said a red passport bearing number BV5128363 with five-year validity had been issued to the Pakistan Muslim Leagure-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo on February 18, 2016.

The official further told Dawn news that this was the only valid travel document held by Sharif and its expiry would render him stateless.

Speaking to Dawn in London about the development, Hussain Nawaz, son of the former Prime Minister, said: "This is not at all shocking. We had no hope of any goodwill from them (the government)."

Nawaz Sharif has been living in London since November 2019 after he was allowed to leave the country for medical treatment.

Earlier this month, the PML-N supremo was declared a proclaimed offender in two graft cases by the Islamabad High Court after he failed to appear in person.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Mirza Shahzad Akbar had said the UK authorities had been asked to deport the convicted former Prime Minister from their country.