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Pakistan Finalizes $4–4.6 Billion Arms Deal With Libya’s LNA, Including JF-17 Jets

The transfer faces U.N. embargo rules and possible Chinese export approvals, setting up immediate legal and diplomatic scrutiny.

Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar attends a carnival to celebrate Eid El Fitr in a public square in Benghazi, Libya April 21, 2023. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori/File Photo
Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Asim Munir holds a microphone during his visit at the Tilla Field Firing Ranges (TFFR) to witness the Exercise Hammer Strike, a high-intensity field training exercise conducted by the Pakistan Army's Mangla Strike Corps, in Mangla, Pakistan May 1, 2025. Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR)/Handout via REUTERS
Image
Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir with Libyan National Army head General Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi, Libya | X/@LibyanIntegrity

Overview

  • Four Pakistani officials told Reuters the pact was concluded after Field Marshal Asim Munir met LNA deputy commander Saddam Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi last week.
  • An earlier draft seen by Reuters listed 16 JF-17 fighter jets and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft, with deliveries planned over about two and a half years.
  • The LNA’s media announced a defence cooperation agreement covering weapons sales, training and potential military manufacturing, while Pakistani ministries declined comment.
  • Libya has been under a U.N. arms embargo since 2011 requiring Security Council approval for weapons transfers, and it remains unclear whether exemptions have been sought.
  • Because JF-17 exports rely on Chinese components, Beijing’s clearances may be required even as Pakistani officials argue the deal does not violate U.N. restrictions.