ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday welcomed the parliamentary vote to form a national unity government to lead Libya to elections in December.
Libya’s long-divided parliament on Wednesday approved an interim government mandated to bring the fractured country together after a decade of chaos and violence and to oversee elections in December as part of an United Nations-backed peace plan.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said that Islamabad welcomes the development and “wish Libyan parliamentary [and] political leaderships success [and] appreciate resolve” of Libyan “people for peace [and] security.”
#Pakistan welcomes endorsement by Libyan Parliament to the Cabinet proposed by PM-designate of #Libya & successful formation of Govt.of National Unity. We wish Libyan parliamentary & political leaderships success & appreciate resolve of 🇱🇾 people for peace&security.@PakinLibya_
— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) March 14, 2021
“We also acknowledge the positive role played by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), as well as the efforts of the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Libya,” he said.
Zahid reiterated the “historically close and cordial ties with Libya,” adding: “We remain committed to advancing our bilateral cooperation as well as coordination at the regional and international fora.”
The parliament’s approval of Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh’s cabinet by 132 votes to two against, at a session in a war-battered frontline city, represents the biggest opportunity in years for a resolution to Libya’s conflict.
“Through this vote, it became clear that the Libyans are one unit,” Dbeibeh told parliament afterward.
However, huge hurdles remain and the manner of Dbeibeh’s own appointment and the size of his cabinet have drawn accusations of corruption and influence-peddling that spoilers could leverage to deny his legitimacy.
On the ground, Libya’s streets, businesses and state institutions remain in the shadow of myriad armed factions and split between two rival administrations, while foreign powers backing either side have kept their guns in place.
Amending the constitution and holding free elections in 2021 will be an immense challenge, though all sides have formally committed to do so.
