Haftar praises the Pakistani armed forces’ professionalism and contribution to regional peace
I: Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir meets Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander of the Libyan Arab Armed Forces, at the headquarters on Wednesday. Photo: ISPR
The Chief of Defense Staff (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir on Wednesday discussed bilateral defense cooperation issues with the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Libyan Military.
A statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said CDF Munir held a meeting with Libyan Arab Armed Forces Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lt. Gen Haftar, where both sides stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral defense ties and expanding cooperation in military training and security.
Lt Gen Haftar summoned CDF Munir at the Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi and was presented with a guard of honor on arrival.
The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, regional security dynamics, defense cooperation and opportunities for enhanced military-to-military cooperation.
Read: Pakistan, Libya sign 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 the Pakistan Armed Forces and acknowledged their contribution to regional peace and security,” it said.
The meeting was the second between them this year. The two military leaders met earlier in February, where they also discussed regional security dynamics.
During this meeting, the Field Marshal reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Libya and emphasized renewed momentum in defense cooperation between the two countries.
Pakistan and Libya have long-standing diplomatic and military ties. A notable example of this cooperation was a multi-billion dollar conventional arms deal signed last December.
The deal, described as one of Pakistan’s largest ever arms sales, was concluded after an earlier meeting between Field Marshal Munir and Lt. Gen. Haftar in Benghazi.
Also read: CDF Munir discusses regional security dynamics with senior Libyan military officials
However, such a 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.
Libya has technically been under a UN arms embargo since February 2011, imposed through UN 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 to Libya have remained largely unabated over the past decade, fueling proxy conflicts and deepening divisions between rival factions.
