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Pakistan has finalized a military equipment sale worth more than $4 billion to the Libyan National Army, marking one of Islamabad's largest-ever weapons transactions and raising questions about compliance with a United Nations arms embargo that has been in place since 2011.
Four Pakistani officials involved in defense matters speaking to Reuters confirmed the agreement was completed following a meeting last week in Benghazi between Pakistan's military chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and Saddam Khalifa Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of the LNA. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the deal's sensitivity.
The agreement encompasses equipment for land, sea and air operations to be delivered over two and a half years. A pre-finalization document reviewed by Reuters specified 16 JF-17 fighter jets—a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China—and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft used for basic pilot training. Two officials valued the deal at $4.6 billion, while two others said it exceeded $4 billion.
Pakistan's foreign ministry, defense ministry and military did not respond to requests for comment. The LNA's official media channel announced Sunday that the faction had entered a defense cooperation pact with Pakistan covering weapons sales, joint training and military manufacturing.
Libya remains split between competing governments more than a decade after a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The UN-recognized Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, controls much of western Libya, while Haftar's LNA holds the east and south, including major oilfields, and does not recognize the western government's authority.
The UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on Libya in 2011, requiring approval for all weapons and related material transfers. A UN panel of experts reported in December 2024 that the embargo remained "ineffective," noting that some foreign states had become increasingly open about providing military training and assistance to forces in both eastern and western Libya despite the restrictions.
It remains unclear whether Pakistan or Libya sought exemptions to the embargo. Three Pakistani officials maintained the deal did not violate UN restrictions, with one noting Pakistan is not alone in conducting business with Libya, another pointing out no sanctions target Haftar personally, and a third citing improving relations between Benghazi authorities and Western governments amid rising fuel exports.
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The agreement advances Pakistan's effort to expand defense exports by leveraging decades of counterinsurgency experience and a domestic defense industry that produces aircraft, armored vehicles, munitions and naval vessels. Islamabad markets the JF-17 as a lower-cost multi-role fighter and has positioned itself as a supplier capable of providing aircraft, training and maintenance outside Western supply chains.
Speaking on Al-Hadath television Sunday, Munir referenced Pakistan's military engagement with India. "Our recent war with India demonstrated our advanced capabilities to the world," he said.
Pakistan has deepened security ties with Gulf partners in recent months, signing a Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia in Sept. 2025 and conducting senior-level defense talks with Qatar. The Libya deal extends Pakistan's reach into North Africa as regional and international powers compete for influence over Libya's fragmented security institutions and oil-backed economy.
Haftar announced the cooperation Sunday, stating the pact represented "the launch of a new phase of strategic military cooperation with Pakistan." Authorities in Benghazi did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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