LONDON, Jan 4: British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s visit to South Asia may defuse tension between Pakistan and India, said Pakistan’s High Commissioner to UK Abdul Kader Jaffer here on Friday.

Mr Blair’s visit to the region “might defuse tension” between the two countries, he said, while speaking to reporters at the High Commission.

Mr Jaffer is leaving for Islamabad on Saturday and would stay there during the visit of the British premier.

He called for appointing a special envoy of the UN secretary-general on Kashmir to help resolve the long-standing issue.

Mr Blair will arrive in Islamabad on Jan 7 from New Delhi on a two-day visit to Pakistan to have one-to-one talks with President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He is expected to call for opening dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad for defusing the tension and solve their differences.

Diplomatic sources said he would also discuss many other bilateral issues.—APP