The United States has reportedly approved the sale of 60 attack helicopters to Pakistan for use in operations against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

The helicopters approved for sale by the US include Cobra gunships, local daily Dawn reported on Saturday quoting officials in Washington.

Pakistani officials are hoping the helicopters will be delivered by December and differences over the US request for Pakistani troops for Iraq will not delay the delivery, the report said.

President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali had made the supply of US arms to Pakistan to match the modernisation of Indian forces the main theme during their tour to the US recently.

Pakistan has also hinted that the US has agreed to refurbish its fleet of 28 old F-16 planes and permit the sale of 12 more used F-16s from Belgium.