Pakistan is likely to sell 16 JF-17 fighter jets, a multi-role combat aircraft jointly developed by Pakistan and China, and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft to the Libyan National Army (LNA) under a $4 billion defence deal—one of Pakistan’s largest-ever weapons sales.
According to a Reuters report, the deal was finalised during a recent meeting between Pakistan’s military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and the deputy commander-in-chief of the LNA, Saddam Khalifa Haftar. Pakistan has been pitching the Chinese co-developed JF-17 as a lower-cost multi-role fighter and has positioned itself as a weapons supplier able to offer aircraft, training, and maintenance outside Western supply chains.
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The deal comes despite a United Nations embargo on weapons transfers and related military assistance without explicit UN Security Council approval.
While there has been no official statement from Pakistan’s foreign ministry, defence ministry, or military, Reuters accessed a copy of the deal, which showed that it involved 16 JF-17 fighter jets and 12 Super Mushak trainer aircraft. A few Pakistani officials confirmed that the list was correct.
Reuters quoted a Pakistani official as saying that the deal included the sale of equipment for land, sea, and air, spread over two-and-a-half years. The source confirmed to the news agency that the sale would also include the JF-17 fighter jets.
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A few days ago, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media and public relations wing of the Pakistan Armed Forces, had said that Pakistan affirmed its commitment to strengthening defence ties with Libya during a meeting between Field Marshal Munir and LNA officials. “Both sides underscored the importance of collaboration in training, capacity building, and counterterrorism domains,” the ISPR statement said, adding that the discussions involved steps to enhance bilateral defence and military-to-military cooperation.
“We announce the launch of a new phase of strategic military cooperation with Pakistan,” Haftar said in remarks broadcast on Sunday by Al-Hadath television.
Reuters quoted Pakistani officials as saying that the deal had not violated any UN weapons embargo.
