Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan was given the additional charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, Radio Pakistan reported, days after former foreign minister Khawaja Asif was disqualified by the Islamabad High Court for concealing assets in his nomination papers.

Khan, a PML-N federal lawmaker from Gujranwala, has served in several ministries during the incumbent government's tenure. He started off as the state minister for privatisation in 2013, but later the same year was moved to the commerce ministry.

He soon took charge as the federal minister for commerce and continued to serve there until Nawaz Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in July 2017.

Khan, the son of veteran politician Ghulam Dastgir Khan, then took charge of the defence ministry under Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as Asif was given the foreign affairs portfolio.

He will serve the ministries until the end of the government's tenure later this month.

He takes charge amid deteriorating relations between the United States and Pakistan.