ISLAMABAD, Dec 2: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has changed the portfolio of Minister of State Khurram Dastagir Khan from privatisation to commerce.

According to a notification, he has been appointed minister of state for commerce and textiles, leaving the portfolio of privatisation vacant.

Mr Dastagir took charge of the office of minister of state for privatisation on June 23. Before that he was inducted as minister of state for science and technology on June 12.

The prime minister himself holds the portfolio of commerce and textiles ministries.

Mr Dastagir heads the National Assembly’s standing committee on commerce over the past five years.

A well-placed source told Dawn that many parliamentarians had started lobbying for appointment as minister of state for privatisation apparently because the ministry would see a lot of activity in near future as the government has announced a plan to privatise more than 30 government enterprises.

The committee for privatisation has approved a list of enterprises to be privatised. However, the government has yet to constitute a board to execute the plan.