Pakistan has struck one of its largest-ever defence export deals, agreeing to sell military equipment worth more than $4 billion to the Libyan National Army (LNA), according to officials familiar with the matter.
The agreement, finalised last week in Benghazi, comes despite a United Nations arms embargo on Libya that has been in place since 2011.
The deal was reportedly sealed following talks between Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Saddam Khalifa Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of the LNA.
Officials involved in defence matters confirmed the agreement but declined to be identified due to its sensitivity. Pakistan’s foreign ministry and military have not issued public comment.
A draft of the deal seen by Reuters listed the purchase of 16 JF-17 fighter jets, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft.
One official confirmed the list was accurate, while another said the package also included equipment for land, sea and air forces, spread over two and a half years. Estimates of the deal’s value ranged between $4 billion and $4.6 billion.
The LNA’s media channel announced on Sunday that the faction had entered a defence cooperation pact with Pakistan, covering weapons sales, joint training and military manufacturing.
“We announce the launch of a new phase of strategic military cooperation with Pakistan,” Haftar said in remarks broadcast by Al-Hadath television.
Libya remains divided between rival authorities, with the UN-recognised Government of National Unity controlling much of the west, while Haftar’s LNA dominates the east and south, including major oilfields.
The arms embargo requires UN approval for any weapons transfers, but a December 2024 UN panel report described the restrictions as “ineffective,” noting that foreign states had openly provided military assistance to both sides.
Pakistani officials insist the deal does not violate the embargo, arguing that Haftar himself is not subject to sanctions and that Benghazi’s growing ties with Western governments, boosted by fuel exports, have eased restrictions.
The agreement underscores Pakistan’s ambitions to expand its defence exports. Islamabad has long marketed the JF-17 as a lower-cost multirole fighter outside Western supply chains and has sought to deepen military ties with Gulf partners.
In September 2025, Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia and has since held senior-level talks with Qatar.
For Libya, the deal highlights the ongoing competition among regional and international powers to shape its fragmented security institutions and oil-backed economy.
For Pakistan, it represents a significant step in positioning itself as a global arms supplier, leveraging its domestic defence industry and decades of military experience.
Sources: Reuters, Al-Hadath TV, UN Panel Report, Arab News
