Pakistan plans to soon send back the two wives and children of the former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden to Saudi Arabia.

The News quoted Saudia's Al-Hayat Arabic daily, as saying that: "An official at the Pakistani Ministry of Interior told Al-Hayat that the Kingdom had agreed to the Pakistani request for the wives and their children to return to Saudi Arabia. Their return had been hampered by the investigation and other problems".

"However, Abdul Aziz Al-Ghadair, the Saudi Ambassador to Pakistan, said he has not received any official directives about the repatriation."

"In a telephone conversation with Al-Hayat, Al-Ghadair said he had only read reports in the media that the eldest brother of Osama, Bakr Bin Laden, had brought the matter to the attention of King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Bakr had reportedly submitted an application to the monarch requesting the repatriation of Osama's two wives and their children. He had also asked for their citizenship to be reinstated, which was withdrawn from Osama in 1994 when he refused to return home."

A source close to the bin Laden's family said that the King had agreed to the requests.

"It is expected that the family will leave Pakistan in the next two days on a special plane, but the Pakistani authorities are keeping the date secret," the source added. (ANI)