Pakistan and Libya affirm their common intention to promote peace and stability

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

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

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

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir were also present in the meeting.

During the discussions, the two sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest and stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral relations. “The meeting reflects the common desire to strengthen cooperation in areas of common interest and promote peace, stability and development at the regional and international levels,” the Prime Minister’s Office statement said.

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

The meeting ended with an agreement to maintain close contacts and explore avenues for future cooperation.

The Deputy Commander-in-Chief also called on Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf at the Naval Headquarters.

The two leaders deliberated on issues of mutual interest, the evolving regional maritime security landscape, and ways to further strengthen defense and training cooperation.

The Libyan official hailed the Pakistan Navy as a “critical force for regional peace and maritime security.” The two leaders reaffirmed their determination to further diversify and strengthen the scope of bilateral defense relations.

Libyan Prime Minister and armed forces officials are visiting Pakistan and met officials. A day ago, CDF Munir discussed regional security dynamics in a meeting with senior Libyan military officials.

“Both sides exchanged views on issues of mutual interest, with particular emphasis on security dynamics in the respective regions and professional cooperation. The discussion highlighted 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 met with Chief of Air Staff Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu at Air Headquarters, Islamabad.

“The meeting focused on issues of mutual interest, regional security environment and avenues for strengthening bilateral military cooperation. The Air Chief highlighted the strong religious and historical ties between Pakistan and Libya, operational readiness of the Pakistan Air Force, modernization, development of multi-domain capabilities and emphasis on indigenization, innovation and human resource development,” the ISPR said.

Pakistan and Libya have enjoyed strong diplomatic and military ties since they concluded a multibillion-dollar conventional arms deal last month.

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

A copy of the agreement seen by Reuters before its finalization, it included 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.

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

Libya has technically remained under a UN arms embargo since February 2011, imposed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (UNSCR) and then strengthened by subsequent resolutions, including UN Security Council Resolution 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 unabated over the past decade, fueling proxy conflicts and deepening divisions between rival factions.

Sources had said The Express PK Press Club that Pakistani authorities did not expect the UN embargo to pose a practical obstacle to defense 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 “on paper” restriction rather than a meaningful barrier on the ground. They highlighted persistent violations committed by multiple regional and international actors over the years, which have effectively undermined the credibility of the embargo.

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