Islamabad, April 19 (IANS) Pakistan hopes to "resume hockey ties with India", said an official here. The sporting ties were frozen following the 2008 Mumbai terror attack.

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary general Mohammad Asif Bajwa said there were hopeful of having 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," the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

Sporting ties between the two countries were frozen after the Nov 26-28 Mumbai terror attack that left 166 people killed.

India and Pakistan clashed in cricket World Cup semifinal match held in Mohali, Punjab, in India. The thrilling match was witnessed by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh.

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."

International sports events in Pakistan came to a halt after a terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in Lahore in March 2009, leaving eight people dead.