A police officer looks at the identity card of a suspected bomber after a blast in Quetta. (AFP)

Islamabad, Feb. 1 (Reuters): The United States has promised Pakistan that it will help it acquire US military equipment quickly, Islamabad said today.

Pakistan?s ministry of defence production did not give details of the US equipment it was seeking but the Pentagon in November notified the US Congress of three proposed arms sales to Pakistan worth $1.2 billion.

?The US delegation noted the defence requirements of Pakistan and promised to actively pursue the early release of the defence requirements of Pakistan,? the ministry said, referring to preparatory talks ahead of a meeting of the countries? Defence Consultative Group Forum.

US under secretary for defence Douglas Feith is arriving in Pakistan tomorrow for that meeting in the city of Rawalpindi on Thursday.

Pakistani officials had given a detailed presentation to their US counterparts on Pakistan?s defence needs, the ministry said after the preparatory talks.

The ministry cited US officials as saying some of the defence equipment was already in the pipeline while other requests were being pursued for early release. US embassy officials were not immediately available for comments.

The Pentagon?s proposed arms sales to Pakistan announced in November included eight P-3C Orion surveillance aircraft, which Pakistan says would be used in the hunt for Islamic militants on its western border with Afghanistan. The proposal drew strong criticism from India, which has said arms sales to Pakistan would affect its relations with the US.