News Desk
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan — Pakistan’s military leadership this week hosted Khalifa Haftar, the controversial commander of Libya’s eastern armed forces, in a meeting that has raised pointed questions about Islamabad’s foreign‑policy direction and its willingness to engage with figures widely viewed as destabilizing actors in North Africa.
The visit, announced by Pakistan’s Inter‑Services Public Relations (ISPR), included full ceremonial honours at Noor Khan Air Base and a formal reception at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Haftar — accompanied by his son and deputy, Saddam Haftar — met Pakistan’s army chief, Gen. Asim Munir, for discussions framed as “professional cooperation” and “regional security.”
But the optics of the encounter, and the political message it sends, have unsettled analysts who see Pakistan aligning itself with a Libyan warlord whose forces have been accused of human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, and prolonged obstruction of Libya’s political transition.
Khalifa Haftar, who styles himself as commander of the “Libyan Arab Armed Forces,” controls eastern Libya through a patchwork of militias and foreign backers. His 2019 assault on Tripoli — supported by the UAE, Egypt and Russian mercenaries — derailed UN‑backed peace efforts and plunged the country into renewed conflict.
Human rights groups have accused Haftar’s forces of a pattern of abuses, including unlawful detentions, torture and disappearances, indiscriminate attacks on civilian areas, and the forced displacement of communities.
For Pakistan to extend diplomatic legitimacy to such a figure is a move that many observers find difficult to justify.
The meeting underscores a broader trend: Pakistan’s foreign policy increasingly conducted through its military establishment rather than civilian institutions. Gen. Munir’s warm reception of Haftar — complete with tributes at the martyrs’ memorial — signals a willingness to engage with actors whose reputations sit uneasily with Pakistan’s stated commitment to international norms.
The ISPR statement emphasized “long‑standing friendly relations” and Pakistan’s support for “peace, stability and institutional development” in Libya. Yet critics argue that hosting Haftar undermines those very goals.
Pakistan has offered no clear explanation for its outreach, though analysts suggest it may be seeking military contracts with Haftar’s forces, access to potential Libyan reconstruction markets if eastern factions gain control, and closer alignment with Gulf states that back Haftar and hold significant leverage over Pakistan’s economy.
But these potential benefits come with significant risks. By engaging Haftar, Pakistan risks appearing to take sides in Libya’s unresolved conflict, undermining its claims of neutrality and exposing itself to diplomatic backlash from the UN‑recognized authorities in Tripoli.
Libya remains divided between rival administrations, competing militias, and foreign patrons. International efforts continue to push for elections and a unified political framework. Pakistan’s decision to host Haftar — rather than engage with Libya’s internationally recognized institutions — risks reinforcing the fragmentation that has kept the country unstable for more than a decade.
For Libyans who have suffered under militia rule, Pakistan’s embrace of Haftar may be seen as external validation of a warlord whose campaigns have deepened the country’s divisions.
Pakistan’s outreach to Khalifa Haftar may be framed as routine military diplomacy, but its implications are far from routine. The meeting highlights Islamabad’s growing reliance on militarized foreign policy, its willingness to engage with controversial strongmen, and its readiness to prioritize transactional relationships over principled diplomacy.
At a moment when Libya needs international support for reconciliation and institution‑building, Pakistan’s decision to host a figure accused of undermining both sends a troubling message — one that may haunt Islamabad’s global standing long after the ceremonial photographs fade.
