Pakistan, Libya Seek Stronger Defence Ties After GHQ Meeting
Pakistan and Libya moved to reinforce defence engagement on Wednesday as Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir met Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan armed forces, at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. The meeting focused on expanding military cooperation at a time when Islamabad is seeking to deepen defence partnerships with friendly states.
The Libyan military leader was received at GHQ with a guard of honour presented by a tri-services contingent. The ceremonial welcome reflected the importance attached to the visit and set the tone for discussions that covered professional collaboration, regional security concerns and future avenues of defence coordination.
According to the military’s media wing, the two sides discussed matters of mutual interest, evolving regional security dynamics and practical ways to enhance military-to-military ties. The engagement placed particular emphasis on areas such as professional training, security cooperation and broader defence-sector interaction.
Field Marshal Munir highlighted Pakistan Army’s commitment to peace, stability and constructive engagement with partner countries. The visiting Libyan commander, in turn, acknowledged the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and appreciated their role in regional peace and security.
The meeting is significant because Pakistan has been working to strengthen its profile as a defence partner beyond its traditional security relationships. Libya’s renewed engagement with Pakistan comes amid wider efforts to rebuild and modernise security institutions after years of internal conflict and shifting regional alignments.
This was not the first high-level military contact between the two sides. Field Marshal Munir had also met senior Libyan military leadership earlier in February, when Pakistan reaffirmed its desire to develop stronger bilateral ties with Libya and explore deeper security cooperation.
The defence relationship has an important commercial and strategic background. In December last year, Pakistan reportedly entered a multi-billion-dollar agreement to sell conventional military equipment to the Libyan army, a deal that highlighted the country’s growing ambition to expand its defence exports.
The reported package included JF-17 fighter aircraft, jointly developed by Pakistan and China, as well as Super Mushak trainer aircraft used for basic pilot training. Such platforms are central to Pakistan’s defence export identity and give Islamabad an opportunity to combine military diplomacy with industrial growth.
For Pakistan, stronger defence ties with Libya can support foreign policy outreach, defence manufacturing, training cooperation and long-term strategic partnerships. The relationship also offers Libya access to military expertise and equipment at a time when its security institutions require sustained professional development.
The next phase will depend on whether Wednesday’s GHQ talks lead to new training arrangements, follow-up delegations or progress on previously discussed defence procurement. Both sides appear interested in keeping the channel active, but implementation will determine how far the relationship moves beyond ceremonial diplomacy.