Pakistan has reached a deal worth more than $4 billion to sell military equipment to the Libyan National Army, four Pakistani officials told Reuters, marking one of the largest weapons sales in the country's history.

The agreement was finalized last week during a meeting in Benghazi between Pakistan's military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Lt. Gen. Saddam Khalifa Haftar, deputy commander-in-chief of the LNA. The deal covers equipment for land, sea and air forces and is expected to be carried out over approximately two and a half years.

Two of the Pakistani officials said the agreement was valued at more than $4 billion, while two others put the figure at $4.6 billion. All four declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Pakistan's Foreign Office, defense ministry and military did not respond to requests for comment.

"We announce the launch of a new phase of strategic military cooperation with Pakistan," Haftar said in remarks broadcast Sunday by Al-Hadath television.

Details of the agreement

A copy of the deal seen by Reuters before it was finalized listed the purchase of 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, a multirole combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft used for basic pilot training.

One Pakistani official confirmed the list was accurate, while another said the weapons on the list were all part of the deal but could not provide exact numbers.

The LNA's official media channel reported Sunday that the faction had entered a defense cooperation pact with Pakistan that included weapons sales, joint training and military manufacturing, without providing additional details.

"Please make your armed forces as strong as possible because armed forces did guarantee the existence of countries," Munir told LNA officers during his visit to Benghazi.

Libya's fractured political landscape

Libya has been split between rival authorities since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The UN-recognized Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, controls much of western Libya including Tripoli. Haftar's LNA controls the east and south, including major oilfields, and does not recognize the western government's authority.

Haftar made a failed bid to conquer Tripoli in 2019 with backing from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Russia. Turkey intervened to defend the government in Tripoli, sending drones and mercenaries. Ankara has since stationed thousands of troops in western Libya and signed a maritime agreement with the Tripoli government.

Neither the Tripoli government nor Haftar's forces currently possess a substantial air force. The Pakistani deal could significantly alter the military balance of power in the oil-rich North African country.

Dbeibah was nominated prime minister in 2021 as part of a UN-backed process intended to prepare Libya for elections. Those elections have not materialized.

Questions over UN arms embargo

Libya has been subject to a UN arms embargo since 2011, imposed through United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970 and reinforced by subsequent resolutions. The embargo prohibits all states from supplying, selling or transferring arms and related material to Libya without UN approval.

A UN panel of experts said in a December 2024 report that the arms embargo on Libya remained "ineffective." The panel noted that some foreign states had become increasingly open about providing military training and assistance to forces in both eastern and western Libya despite the restrictions.

Three Pakistani officials said the deal did not violate the UN embargo. One official said Pakistan is not the only country to make deals with Libya. Another said there are no sanctions on Haftar personally. A third said Benghazi authorities have witnessed improved relations with Western governments given rising fuel exports.

Sources told The Express Tribune that Pakistani authorities do not expect the embargo to pose a practical obstacle, arguing it has long ceased to function as an effective enforcement mechanism. They pointed to persistent violations by multiple regional and international actors over the years.

Over the past decade, Turkey and Qatar have openly backed Tripoli-based governments through the supply of drones, armored vehicles and military advisers. The UAE, Egypt and Russia have supported Haftar with fighter aircraft, drones and private military contractors. France has faced allegations of covert assistance to the LNA, though Paris has denied direct military involvement.

Pakistan's defense export ambitions

Pakistan has been seeking to expand defense exports, drawing on decades of counterinsurgency experience and a domestic defense industry that spans aircraft production, armored vehicles, munitions and naval construction.

Islamabad has cited its Air Force's performance in clashes with India in May as evidence of its capabilities.

"Our recent war with India demonstrated our advanced capabilities to the world," Munir said in his remarks broadcast by Al-Hadath.

Pakistan markets the JF-17 as a lower-cost multirole fighter and has positioned itself as a supplier able to offer aircraft, training and maintenance outside Western supply chains.

The country has also been deepening security ties with Gulf partners. Pakistan signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia in September 2025 and has held senior-level defense talks with Qatar. Islamabad maintains close relations with both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the latter of which remains the closest Gulf state to Haftar.

The Libya deal would expand Pakistan's footprint in North Africa as regional and international powers compete for influence over Libya's fragmented security institutions and oil-backed economy.

Potential diplomatic complications

Pakistan's decision to sell arms to Haftar could complicate its diplomatic relations with Turkey, which has close security links to Islamabad.

Ankara backs Pakistan in its territorial dispute with India over Kashmir. Turkey is the third largest arms supplier to Pakistan, although it is substantially outperformed by China, the largest.

Turkey has courted Haftar through his son Saddam in recent years, and discussions were held earlier this year about a visit by the elder Haftar to Turkey that never materialized.

The Haftar family's ties with Egypt have also come under strain. The LNA has facilitated the shipment of arms to the Rapid Support Forces in neighboring Sudan, according to reports from Middle East Eye. Egypt backs the Sudanese army in that conflict.