US Senate expected to decide on Olson as envoy to Pakistan on Tuesday

Olson will testify before a US Senate committee which will either approve or disapprove of White House's nominee.

WASHINGTON: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold its nomination hearing on Tuesday to consider the appointments of the new US Ambassadors to Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The hearing, which will be presided over by Senator John Kerry, chairman of the committee, will feature testimony from Richard G. Olson, the White House nominee for the new US Ambassador to Pakistan. James Cunningham, the nominee for the post of the US Ambassador to Afghanistan, will also testify at the hearing. Both nominations must be approved by the Senate.

According to a biography released by the White House earlier, Ambassador Olson previously served as the Coordinating Director for Development and Economic Affairs at the US Embassy in Kabul from June 2011 to June 2012. Prior to this, he was the US Ambassador in UAE from 2008 to 2011.

Ambassador Olson, a career foreign service officer, has also been posted in Saudi Arabia, Brussels and Iraq. The previous US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter stepped down earlier this month from his post.

Cunningham, if appointed, will replace Ryan Crocker in Kabul.