Pakistan’s Controversial $4 Billion Arms Deal with Libya: A Geopolitical Gamble Under a U.N. Embargo

In a development that has stunned diplomats and raised urgent legal and ethical questions, Pakistan has concluded one of the largest weapons sales in its history — a deal exceeding $4 billion to supply military hardware to the Libyan National Army (LNA), officials say. The agreement, confirmed by four Pakistani defense sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, was formalized after a high-level meeting in Benghazi between Pakistan’s military leadership and LNA commanders last week.

The transaction underscores shifting alliances in global arms markets, the volatility of Libya’s fractured security landscape, and Islamabad’s ambitions to position its defense industry as a major supplier beyond traditional partners. But it also places Pakistan squarely at the center of an international controversy: The deal comes despite a United Nations arms embargo on Libya that has been in effect since 2011, intended to curb the flow of weapons into a country still splintered by civil conflict.

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What’s in the Deal — and What It Means

According to documents seen by Reuters and officials directly familiar with the negotiations, the package includes:

• 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets — a multirole combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China, marketed as a cost-effective alternative to Western suppliers.

• 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft — basic fixed-wing trainers used to prepare pilots for combat aircraft.

• Additional equipment for land, sea and air, delivered over approximately 2.5 years.

One official described the deal as “a strategic boost for Pakistan’s defense exports,” but declined to provide exact delivery schedules or detailed inventory lists. Another confirmed that the figures being circulated — valued between $4 billion and $4.6 billion — reflect the scale of the agreement.

For Pakistan’s defense sector, built over decades with significant investment in aircraft production, armored vehicles, munitions and repair infrastructure, this marks a rare breakthrough into North African military trade and represents a symbolic leap toward Islamabad’s goals of expanding export markets.

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Negotiation Dynamics: Haftar Meets Munir

The deal was sealed during a meeting in Benghazi between Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, and Saddam Khalifa Haftar, the powerful deputy commander-in-chief of the LNA. The LNA — an eastern Libyan faction — controls much of Libya’s oil-rich east and south but is not recognized internationally as the country’s legitimate government.

In official statements aired on Libyan media, Haftar described the agreement as the start of a “new phase of strategic military cooperation with Pakistan,” signaling intentions beyond a simple transaction, encompassing joint training and defense industry cooperation.

But beyond the rhetoric, this meeting symbolized a tactical alignment between a regional military heavyweight in Islamabad and a powerful, though controversial, faction in Libya’s fractured political theater.

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Libya’s Arms Embargo: Law vs. Realpolitik

Since 2011, following the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, the United Nations Security Council has imposed an arms embargo on Libya, requiring member states to approve transfers of weapons and related materials. The aim was to stem the tide of weaponization driving periodic escalations in clashes between rival military groups.

Yet reports to the U.N. Security Council have repeatedly noted that the embargo is widely regarded as ineffective, with multiple foreign states providing military assistance — openly or covertly — to different Libyan factions over the past decade.

In this context, Pakistan’s officials insist they have not violated any U.N. sanctions because they argue the transaction was conducted with a non-state authority not explicitly listed for sanctions, and that relevant legal waivers or interpretations were considered. However, neither Islamabad nor Benghazi authorities have publicly confirmed the legal basis for this defense.

Diplomats and legal experts privately warn that the deal could set a dangerous precedent by undermining international arms control mechanisms, particularly when combatants in civil wars can access advanced weaponry despite global efforts to restrict such flows.

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Strategic Implications for Pakistan

For Islamabad, the deal is part of a broader strategy to diversify its defense export portfolio and break into markets traditionally dominated by Western manufacturers or regional powers. Pakistan has been aggressively promoting its domestic platforms — especially the JF-17 Thunder — emphasizing affordability, maintenance support and freedom from political conditions often attached to Western sales.

Pakistan’s military leadership has publicly pointed to recent regional engagements — including increased cooperation with Gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar — as evidence of growing confidence in its defense industry’s capabilities. In media remarks, Field Marshal Munir cited Pakistan’s military performance in recent operations as a testament to the value of its systems.

Yet critics argue that such deals, while commercially lucrative, risk entangling Pakistan in conflicts far from its borders and could expose Islamabad to diplomatic blowback, especially from countries advocating for stronger enforcement of the Libya arms embargo.

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The Libyan Context: A Nation Still Fractured

Libya’s political and military landscape remains deeply divided. The internationally recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) based in Tripoli controls parts of western Libya, while Haftar’s LNA dominates large swaths of the east and south. These rival authorities have battled — politically and militarily — for nearly a decade, complicating efforts for national reconciliation.

Any arms deal with the LNA inevitably draws criticism because it bolsters a faction opposed to the U.N.-backed government in the west. Observers note that increased militarization — fueled by outside suppliers — has often coincided with spikes in local insecurity, even when international efforts aim at fostering peace. The Libyan oil industry, central to national income, is also controlled in part by eastern authorities, adding economic pressures to a delicate political calculus.

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Global Reactions and Future Risks

While there are no major public condemnations yet from Western capitals, diplomats in New York and Brussels watching the Libya file have expressed concern privately about potential erosion of the arms embargo’s authority if powerful exporting states push transactions through questionable legal channels.

There is also the question of precedent: Countries that have historically respected U.N. arms control frameworks may feel compelled to reassess their commitments if enforcement appears toothless. Security analysts warn that such erosion could embolden other prolific weapons exporters to test the limits of global norms.

At the same time, Pakistan’s military export strategy may inspire other non-Western producers to target conflict zones where traditional suppliers are constrained by political conditions. The blurred lines between sovereign defense trade and geopolitical intervention raise complex questions about responsibility, accountability, and the long-term costs of militarization.

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Conclusion

Pakistan’s $4 billion arms deal with the Libyan National Army marks a major milestone in Islamabad’s defense export ambitions — but it comes with heavy geopolitical baggage. As the world watches how the deal unfolds, questions about legality, international norms, and ethical obligations remain unresolved. Whether this agreement proves to be a turning point in Pakistan’s global defense strategy — or a misstep that weakens international arms control — will shape debates on arms trade and conflict governance for years to come.