Haftar praises the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and their contribution to regional peace
I: Army Chief of Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir meets with Lt. Gen. Saddam Khalifa Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, at Headquarters on Wednesday. Photo: ISPR
Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday discussed matters related to bilateral defense cooperation with the deputy chief of the Libyan army.
A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said CDF Munir held a meeting with Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Haftar, in which both sides underlined the importance of strengthening bilateral defense ties and expanding cooperation in military training and security.
Lieutenant General Haftar visited CDF Munir at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and was presented with a guard of honor upon his arrival.
The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, defense cooperation and avenues to enhance military-to-military collaboration.
Read: Pakistan and Libya close a multi-billion dollar arms deal
The ISPR added that CDF Munir highlighted the Pakistan Army’s commitment to promoting peace, stability and constructive engagement with friendly countries.
“The visiting dignitary appreciated the professionalism of Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their contributions to regional peace and security,” he said.
The meeting was the second between them this year. The two military leaders previously met in February, when they also discussed regional security dynamics.
During that meeting, the Field Marshal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Libya and underlined the renewed momentum in defense collaboration between the two countries.
Pakistan and Libya enjoy long-standing diplomatic and military ties. A notable example of this cooperation was a multibillion-dollar deal on conventional arms signed in December last year.
The deal, described as one of the largest arms sales in Pakistan’s history, was finalized following an earlier meeting between Field Marshal Munir and Lt. Gen. Haftar in Benghazi.
Read also: CDF Munir analyzes regional security dynamics with senior Libyan military officials
However, any such deal with the Libyan National Army is expected to attract international scrutiny given Libya’s prolonged instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi and plunged the country into years of conflict between rival authorities in the east and west.
Technically, Libya has remained under a UN arms embargo since February 2011, imposed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 (UNSCR) and then 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, fueling proxy conflicts and deepening divisions between rival factions.
