Pakistan, Libya affirm shared intent to promote peace and stability

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Libyan Prime Minister Dr Osama Saad Hamad on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to enhancing cooperation in areas of common concern and to promoting peace, stability, and development at regional and international levels.

According to press release issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), a high-level Libyan delegation called on the premier at the PM House today.

The Libyan delegation included PM Hamad, Libyan Arab Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar.

Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF)  and Chief of the Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present during the meeting.

During the discussions, both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral relations. “The meeting reflected the shared desire to enhance cooperation in areas of common concern and to promote peace, stability, and development at regional and international levels,” the PMO statement said.

PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya and emphasised the importance of continued engagement and dialogue. The Libyan leadership appreciated Pakistan’s role and expressed interest in expanding collaboration between the two countries, the statement added.

The meeting concluded with an understanding to maintain close contact and explore avenues for future cooperation.

The deputy commander-in-chief also called on Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf at the Naval Headquarters.

Both the leaders deliberated on matters of mutual interest, evolving regional maritime security landscape, and ways to further bolster cooperation in defence and training.

The Libyan official commended the Pakistan Navy as a “pivotal force for regional peace and maritime security”. Both leaders reaffirmed their resolve to further diversify and strengthen the scope of the existing bilateral defence relationship.

The Libyan prime minister and armed forces officials are on a visit to Pakistan and have been meeting with officials. A day ago, CDF Munir discussed regional security dynamics in a meeting with the senior Libyan military officials.

“Both sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest, with particular focus on security dynamics in respective regions and professional cooperation. The discussion underscored the importance of continued engagement and collaboration between the Armed Forces of Pakistan and Libya,” the military’s media wing said in a statement.

Later, the Libyan deputy commander in chief later met Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at the Air Headquarters, Islamabad.

“The meeting focused on matters of mutual interest, the regional security environment, and avenues for strengthening bilateral military cooperation. The air chief highlighted the strong religious and historical ties between Pakistan and Libya, Pakistan Air Force’s operational readiness, modernisation, multi-domain capability development, and emphasis on indigenisation, innovation, and human resource development,” the ISPR said.

Pakistan and Libya enjoy strong diplomatic and military ties as they struck a multi-billion dollar conventional arms deal last month.

The deal, described as one of Pakistan’s largest-ever weapons sales, was finalised after a prior meeting between CDF Munir and the deputy commander in chief in Benghazi.

A copy of the deal seen by Reuters before its finalisation listed the purchase of 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft used for basic pilot training.

One Pakistani official confirmed the list was accurate, while another said all items mentioned were part of the deal, though exact numbers could not be independently verified. Officials cited by Reuters said the agreement covered equipment for land, sea and air forces and would be implemented over a period of around two-and-a-half years.

Libya has technically remained under a UN arms embargo since February 2011, imposed through United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1970 and later reinforced by subsequent resolutions, including UNSCR 1973. The embargo prohibits all states from supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to Libya.

Despite this legal framework, arms flows into Libya have continued largely unabated over the past decade, fuelling proxy conflicts and deepening divisions between rival factions.

Sources had told The Express Tribune that Pakistani authorities did not expect the UN embargo to pose a practical obstacle to the reported defence cooperation with Libya, arguing that the embargo had long ceased to function as an effective enforcement mechanism.

According to the sources, the arms embargo existed more as a formal or “paper” restriction rather than a meaningful barrier on the ground. They pointed to persistent violations by multiple regional and international actors over the years, which had effectively hollowed out the embargo’s credibility.

The sources noted that Libya’s fragmented governance structure and deep political divisions within the UN Security Council had significantly undermined enforcement.