Pakistan just sold 16 JF-17 fighter jets to Khalifa Haftar’s East Libya — and it could reshape the entire geopolitical balance of the divided nation. Haftar and his son Saddam, widely seen as his successor, travelled to Islamabad where they were received with full military honours by Pakistan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Muneer. The arms deal includes 12 Mushak training aircraft and potentially more military hardware — marking a significant shift in who is backing East Libya and why it matters.
Libya has been divided since Western intervention toppled Gaddafi and left the country fractured. Today, West Libya (Tripoli) holds international recognition, while East Libya (Benghazi) is controlled by Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA). The West Libyan government has already raised objections to Pakistan engaging with Benghazi — but the geopolitical winds are clearly shifting.
For years, the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia backed Haftar as a bulwark against Islamist governance. Turkey and Qatar supported the West. But now Turkey is opening lines with Haftar, and Pakistan’s entry adds further weight to the East. Meanwhile, East Libya’s alleged arming of Sudan’s RSF paramilitary could become a key bargaining chip — as outside powers may pressure Haftar to cut RSF support in exchange for broader legitimacy and a path toward Libyan reunification.
Could we be heading toward a stabilised Sudan and a reunified Libya in quick succession? Or will West Libya find new backers and dig in? This is the analysis the mainstream won’t give you — news without the Western spin.
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