Rawalpindi – Pakistan and Libya have agreed to expand bilateral defence cooperation, reaffirming their commitment to stronger military and strategic ties during a high-level visit by Libya’s top military commander.
Lieutenant General Saddam Khalifa Haftar, Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan Armed Forces, called on Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Syed Asim Munir, at General Headquarters (GHQ) on Monday. The meeting focused on enhancing collaboration in training, defence production, and technical exchange.
The visiting commander was presented with a guard of honour and laid a wreath at the Yadgar-e-Shuhada, paying tribute to Pakistan’s martyrs.
According to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), both sides emphasized the importance of long-standing defence ties and pledged to explore further avenues of military cooperation, particularly in the areas of training, counterterrorism, and capacity building.
Later, Gen. Haftar also met with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, where both leaders stressed the need for enhancing ties not only in the defence sector but also across broader political and economic areas. PM Sharif appreciated Libya’s support for Pakistan on international platforms and expressed readiness to assist Libya in training and professional development of its armed forces.
Gen. Haftar also met Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, as part of efforts to build a multifaceted bilateral relationship between the two Muslim nations.
Defence cooperation between Pakistan and Libya dates back decades, with Pakistan traditionally providing military training and technical expertise to Libyan personnel, especially in aviation and infantry.
This renewed engagement reflects Islamabad’s efforts to strengthen strategic partnerships in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region through defence diplomacy.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.