ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Pakistan welcomed on Friday the appointment of Richard Holbrooke as a special US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan while analysts said he would have to confront Pakistan-India tension if his aim was regional peace.

“Pakistan welcomes the appointment of Ambassador Holbrooke and looks forward to enhanced and fruitful engagement with the special envoy to further the cause of peace and stability in the region,” the ministry said in a statement.

The chairman of Pakistan’s Institute of Strategic Studies, former foreign secretary Tanvir Ahmed Khan, said Mr Holbrooke was the right man for the job.

“We know that 30,000 troops are on their way but we also know the doubling of forces will not result in a military solution, it won’t be a decider,” Mr Khan said of the expected surge of US troops in Afghanistan.

“It’ll have to be supplemented by vigorous diplomatic efforts and this is where Mr Holbrooke’s experience will come.”—Reuters