ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said Pakistan was holding talks with several countries for the sale of its fighter jets, citing a surge in international demand following the country’s success against India in the May 2025 armed conflict.
“After Pakistan won the war last year, the demand for Pakistani fighter jets has increased […] many countries are actively engaged with us to acquire the jets,” the premier said while addressing a meeting of the federal cabinet.
Minister for Defence Production Raza Hayat Haraj, in an interview with the BBC, had also confirmed that Pakistan was in talks with several countries over potential agreements to sell JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.
The minister said negotiations were underway with multiple states for the export of the multi-role combat aircraft, which has been jointly developed by Pakistan and China.
He added that any agreement would require China’s consent, given its role in the development of the JF-17. “These negotiations are taking place and they take some time. Many countries are interested in these aircraft,” the minister said.
Reuters has reported, citing official sources, mentioning talks with Libya, Sudan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia regarding defence agreements, particularly the sale of JF-17 Thunder jets.
However, Minister Raza Haraj avoided naming any country, saying: “These are classified matters. I cannot name any country or say at what level our talks with them are”.
Pakistan and India went to war in May after India launched an unprovoked attack on Pakistan following the attack on tourists in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
New Delhi maintains that the terrorists who killed 26 tourists in IIOJK’s Pahalgam were Pakistanis — a charge that Islamabad has denied and has also asked India to partake in a neutral investigation.
Pakistan, during the 87-hour conflict, downed its six fighter jets, including three Rafale, and dozens of drones. The war between the two nuclear-armed nations ended on May 10 with a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.
During today’s address to the cabinet meeting, the prime minister said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed with World Liberty Financial to explore using World Liberty’s stablecoin for cross-border transactions.
He noted that the agreement would benefit Pakistan’s economy.
PM Shehbaz further said Pakistan had shown significant economic progress in a short period and that economic stability had been achieved, with the government now focusing on growth-oriented measures.
Referring to the security situation, the prime minister reiterated the government’s resolve to completely eradicate terrorism, saying the security forces were fully committed to eliminating the menace.
He added that seven Danish schools were being established in Balochistan as part of efforts to improve education and development in the province.
The prime minister said Pakistan had made notable strides on the economic front and vowed that the government would now accelerate efforts to ensure sustained development across the country.
