OTTAWA, Oct 14: Canada is hoping to use Pakistani military bases during next year’s scheduled withdrawal of its troops from Afghanistan, official sources said here on Thursday morning.

Canadian officials and Pakistan’s Ambassador Mian Gul Akbar Zeb have confirmed press reports that Ottawa had made a request for using Pakistan bases.

“The government of Pakistan is entertaining a Canadian request to use its military bases during next year’s scheduled withdrawal from Afghanistan,” said a Canadian Press news agency report.

Mian Akbar Zeb said that talks were being held to use “ports in Karachi to ship out thousands of containers of non-sensitive material”. An agreement would be reached after details were hammered out, he added.

“I don’t see a hitch there”. But, he said: “Nothing has been finalised yet.”