Khurram Dastgir

Khurram Dastgir Khan
خرم دستگیر خان
Federal Minister of Energy
In office
19 April 2022 – 10 August 2023
PresidentArif Alvi
Prime MinisterShehbaz Sharif
Preceded byHammad Azhar
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
11 May 2018 – 31 May 2018
PresidentMamnoon Hussain
Prime MinisterShahid Khaqan Abbasi
Preceded byKhawaja Muhammad Asif
Succeeded byHussain Haroon
Minister of Defence
In office
4 August 2017 – 31 May 2018
PresidentMamnoon Hussain
Prime MinisterShahid Khaqan Abbasi
Preceded byKhawaja Muhammad Asif
Succeeded byHussain Haroon
Minister of Commerce
In office
17 January 2014 – 28 July 2017
PresidentMamnoon Hussain
Prime MinisterNawaz Sharif
Preceded byMubashir Hassan
Succeeded byMuhammad Pervaiz Malik
Parliamentary Positions
Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan
In office
17 March 2008 – 10 August 2023
ConstituencyNA-96 (Gujranwala-II)
Personal details
Born (1970-08-03) 3 August 1970 (age 54)
Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan
Political partyPMLN (2002-present)
RelationsAzra Sabir Khan (aunt)
Parent
Alma materCalifornia Institute of Technology
BSc
Bowdoin College
BA

Khurram Dastgir Khan (Punjabi, Urdu: خرم دستگیر خان; born 3 August 1970) is a Pakistani politician who had been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from August 2018 till August 2023. Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013, and again from 2013 to 2018.

He served as Chairman of Standing Committee of the National Assembly on Commerce from 2008-13. He served as Federal Minister for Commerce from 2014-17 in the Cabinet of Nawaz Sharif. He served as Federal Minister for Defence from 2017–18 and Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs from 11 May 2018 – 31 May 2018 in the cabinet of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. He also served as Federal Minister for Energy in the cabinet of Shehbaz Sharif from 2022-23.

Khan studied engineering from the California Institute of Technology and economics at Bowdoin College.

Beyond his political career, he has also been involved in the family business, has served as the Vice President of Punjab Squash Association for 1998–2002 and has managed District Red Crescent, Gujranwala Club and Jinnah Memorial Library.[1]

Early life and education

Khan was born on 3 August 1970 in Gujranwala, Punjab, Pakistan.[2][3]

Khan studied at the St. Joseph's High School in Gujranwala and Cadet College, Hasan Abdal.[4]

Khan attended the Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine from where he holds a degree in Economics and was trained as an electrical engineer at the California Institute of Technology.[4]

Political career

In 1999, he was serving as Special Assistant to then Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif[5] until his tenure was terminated during 1999 Pakistani coup d'état staged by Pervez Musharraf.[4]

He ran for the seat of National Assembly of Pakistan from Gujranwala constituency as a candidate of PML (N) in 2002 Pakistani general elections but was unsuccessful.[6] Reportedly, he was booked for terrorist activities; for beating up two PPP activists at a polling station and for getting a provocative pamphlet published about a rival candidate in separate cases.[7]

From 2006 to 2009, he worked on building his reputation in the PML-N where he eventually became party's central deputy secretary information.[4]

He was elected to the National Assembly for the first time as a candidate of PML(N) in 2008 Pakistani general election.[8][9] In October 2008, he was elected as Chairman of the Standing Committee of National Assembly on Commerce.[10]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly for the second time as a candidate of PML (N) in 2013 Pakistani general election.[11] Upon PML-N victory in the 2013 general election, Khan was first appointed as Minister of State for Science and Technology.[12] Later, he was made Minister of State for Privatisation as well Chairman of the Privatisation Commission of Pakistan. In December 2013, he was appointed as the Minister of State for Commerce.[13][14][15][16]

In January 2014, he was elevated to the rank of federal minister and was appointed as the Minister for Commerce for the first time.[17][12] He had ceased to hold ministerial office in July 2017 when the federal cabinet was disbanded following the disqualification of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after Panama Papers case decision.[18]

Following the election of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as Prime Minister of Pakistan, Khan was inducted into the federal cabinet of Abbasi and was appointed Minister for Defence for the first time.[19][20] In May 2018, he was given the additional portfolio of Minister for Foreign Affairs.[21] Upon the dissolution of the National Assembly on the expiration of its term on 31 May 2018, Khan ceased to hold the office as Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Federal Minister for Defence.[22]

He was re-elected to the National Assembly as a candidate of PML-N from Constituency NA-81 (Gujranwala-III) in 2018 Pakistani general election.[23]

Writings

Khan published his book Gujranwala: At the Dawn of a New Millennium in 1999, and since 2000 he has also written in many English-language newspapers of the country, including book reviews for Dawn.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "Khurram Dastgir Khan elected MNA from Gujranwala". Abdalians Alumni. 11 April 2008. Archived from the original on 9 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Detail Information". www.pildat.org. PILDAT. Archived from the original on 21 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ "If elections are held on time…". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d PILDAT: Profiles of delegates. "PILDAT: Profiles of delegates". PILDAT: Profiles of delegates. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  5. ^ Jamil, Farah (7 June 2013). "26 member Cabinet to take oath today". Aaj News. Archived from the original on 21 January 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Biradari factor dominant in NA-96". DAWN.COM. Dawn. 20 December 2007. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  7. ^ "PML(N) candidate booked in Gujranwala". DAWN.COM. Dawn. 11 October 2002. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  8. ^ Ghumman, Khawar (9 May 2013). "The worries of the N stalwarts". Dawn. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  9. ^ "Gujranwala sends six lawyers to NA". Dawn. 22 February 2008. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Pakistani, Indian MPs discuss opportunities for improving ties". DAWN.COM. Dawn. 23 August 2012. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Official results: PML-N leading the race in National Assembly – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 12 May 2013. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  12. ^ a b "JUI-F represented: Three new ministers take oath – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 17 January 2014. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  13. ^ "State minister resigns from privatisation chairmanship". Pakistan Today. 14 December 2013. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  14. ^ "BoI chief Zubair also to head Privatisation Commission". The Nation. 15 December 2013. Archived from the original on 1 November 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Federal cabinet unveiled: Enter the ministers – The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 8 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  16. ^ Khan, Mubarak Zeb (3 December 2013). "Khurram Dastagir gets portfolio of commerce". dawn. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  17. ^ Raza, Syed Irfan (17 January 2014). "President swears in new ministers". DAWN.COM. Dawn. Archived from the original on 31 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  18. ^ "PM Nawaz Sharif steps down; federal cabinet stands dissolved". Daily Pakistan Global. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 28 July 2017.
  19. ^ "New cabinet takes oath: Khawaja Asif foreign minister, Ahsan Iqbal interior minister". DAWN.COM. 4 August 2017. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  20. ^ "Pakistan Swears In New Federal Cabinet". Newsweek Pakistan. 4 August 2017. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  21. ^ Siddiqui, Naveed (11 May 2018). "Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir given additional portfolio of foreign minister". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  22. ^ "Notification" (PDF). Cabinet division. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Khurram Dastagir Khan of PML-N wins NA-81 election". Associated Press of Pakistan. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
Political offices
Preceded by
Minister of State for Science and Technology
2013—2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Chairman of the Privatisation Commission
2013—2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister of State for Privatisation
2013—2013
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister of State for Commerce
2013—2014
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister for Commerce
2014—2017
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Minister for Defence
2017—2018
Succeeded by