Pakistan has reportedly concluded a major arms deal with Libya’s Libyan National Army, valued at more than $4 billion, in what would rank among the largest weapons export agreements in Pakistan’s history. The deal was revealed by Reuters, citing four Pakistani officials with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
According to the sources, the agreement was finalized following a high-level meeting held last week in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi between Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army. The meeting reportedly focused on expanding military cooperation and strengthening defense ties between the two sides.
The reported agreement includes the sale of 16 JF-17 multirole fighter jets, a combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China that has become a flagship product of Pakistan’s defense industry. The package also includes 12 Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, along with a range of ground, naval, and air force equipment. Deliveries are expected to take place over a period of approximately two and a half years, according to the same officials.
Pakistani sources described the deal as a major breakthrough for Islamabad’s defense exports, underscoring its growing ambition to position itself as a competitive supplier of military hardware to international partners. The JF-17, in particular, has been marketed as a cost-effective and versatile platform suitable for air forces seeking modern capabilities at lower operational costs.
Libyan military media outlets have previously announced the signing of a broader defense cooperation agreement between Libya and Pakistan, covering arms sales, joint training programs, and military manufacturing cooperation. However, those announcements did not include financial figures or detailed specifications, and Libyan authorities have not publicly confirmed the full scope of the deal outlined by Reuters.
