Pak hopes to resume India hockey ties

LAHORE: Pakistan hopes to resume hockey ties with India later this year, an official said Monday, as sporting links between the two arch-rivals continue to thaw.

Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Asif Bajwa told reporters there were hopes of arranging a series against India as early as December.

"On the directive of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, we hope to resume hockey ties with India in December this year or January 2012," he said.

Sporting ties between the two neighbours were frozen after terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008, which left 166 people dead and which India blamed on militants based in Pakistan.

But both countries have shown willingness to renew their rivalry on the sports field since they met in the cricket World Cup semi-final in Mohali in India last month.

Gilani attended the match -- which was won by the hosts -- at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, and they vowed to improve relations.

The two countries' cricket boards are in talks to hold a series later this year or early in 2012.

Bajwa said his federation would seek government advice on the hockey series.

"We will be meeting Interior Minister Rehman Malik who will guide us on the series and we hope to host the matches in Lahore, Karachi and Faisalabad," said Bajwa.

Pakistan's chances of hosting international sports are also linked to improvement of security situation in the country.

Pakistan has been a virtual "no go" for international sporting activities since terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in March 2009.

The country has not hosted any international sporting events since the attacks, which left eight people killed and injured seven Sri Lankan players and their assistant coach.