Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Friday gave Defence Minister Khurrram Dastagir Khan the additional portfolio of foreign affairs.

Khan will take on the responsibilities of former foreign minister Khawaja Asif who was disqualified from being a member of parliament by the Islamabad High Court late last month for not disclosing a foreign source of income.

“The prime minister has been pleased to assign, with immediate effect, the additional portfolio of foreign affairs to Eng Khurram Dastgir Khan, federal minister for defence,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Khan is assuming the foreign ministry office as the ruling party of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif prepares to face new elections in late July.

Khan, a young politician from the ruling party, is considered one of the close confidants of the ousted prime minister.