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Libyan Prime Minister Dr Osama Saad Hamad visits Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on February 3, 2026. Photo: PTV/X
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly relations with Libya and underlined the importance of continued engagement and dialogue.
A high-level Libyan delegation visited him at PM House. The delegation included Dr. Osama Saad Hamad, Prime Minister of the Libyan Government, Marshal Khalifa Abu-al-Qasim Haftar, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces and Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, COAS and CDF, were also present in the meeting, the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release.
During the discussions, the two sides exchanged views on the importance of strengthening bilateral relations. The meeting reflected the common desire to strengthen cooperation in areas of common interest and promote peace, stability and development at the regional and international levels.
Libyan leaders appreciated Pakistan’s role and expressed interest in expanding collaboration between the two countries.
The meeting ended with an agreement to maintain close contacts and explore avenues for future cooperation.
Embassy
Pakistan is in talks to open a consulate in Benghazi, eastern Libya, three sources familiar with the matter said, a move that could provide a diplomatic boost to eastern authorities in their rivalry with western Libya.
Libya descended into turmoil after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled Muammar Gaddafi and has been divided between Eastern and Western authorities since a 2014 civil war.
The UN-recognized government in Tripoli controls the west, while Libyan National Army chief Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces, based in Benghazi, control the east and south, including major oil fields.
Islamabad would join a small group of countries with a diplomatic presence in Benghazi. Haftar discussed the decision with officials during an ongoing visit to Pakistan, the sources said.
Pakistan’s prime minister’s office and foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
According to the LNA’s official media, Haftar and his son Saddam met with senior officials of the Pakistani army “within the framework of strengthening bilateral relations and opening wider horizons for coordination in areas of common interest.”
He gave no further details and Reuters could not immediately reach authorities in eastern Libya for comment.
The Pakistan Air Force said in a statement that Saddam Khalifa Haftar met with Air Chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to discuss expanding defense cooperation, including joint training, with Islamabad reaffirming its support for “capacity development” of the Libyan Air Force.
Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defense Force Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Benghazi in December, where he signed a multibillion-dollar defense deal with the LNA, as Reuters had reported.
All three sources said the decision to open a consulate in Benghazi was linked to the $4 billion defense deal.
(With additional input from Reuters)
