Major General Mahdi Al-Arabi Abdelhafiz has called for fair treatment of military retirees and urged the implementation of existing laws governing their pensions. He praised the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief for their attention to the issue.
Al-Arabi, writing on his Facebook page as a retired officer, noted that many military retirees served for decades in both regular and emergency roles across different branches of the armed forces. Despite retiring according to legal procedures, he said many have not received fair compensation.
He stated that a significant number of retirees receive pensions of no more than 900 dinars, even after many years of service. Al-Arabi emphasized that orders from the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief to address this issue require applying relevant laws—particularly Law No. 1 of 2026, issued by the House of Representatives, which increases wages for active military personnel and has now entered into force.
Al-Arabi criticized some officials for proposing pension increases based on personal discretion, rather than adhering to established laws and administrative and financial regulations, which he described as clear and simply needing implementation.
He referenced Cabinet Decision No. 441 of 2013, issued on August 7, 2013, which outlined salary and allowance increases for army personnel, effective January 1, 2014. He said the pension fund has not implemented this decision, despite its mandatory language. He cited Article 9 of Military Retirement Law No. 43 of 1974, which states that if salaries increase after retirement, pensions should be recalculated based on the new figures.
Al-Arabi believes that pensions should now be recalculated in accordance with Law No. 1 of 2026 from the House of Representatives. He also cited Article 51 of the law’s executive regulations, which stipulates that when salaries increase post-retirement, the authority must automatically adjust pensions without requiring a request from the beneficiary.
He noted that thousands of retired military and civilian employees are currently submitting complaints and requests to have their pensions adjusted according to the new laws.
Al-Arabi explained that Article 4 of the executive regulations for Law No. 43 of 1974 calls for the establishment of a dedicated office within the armed forces to handle military retirement affairs. This office, staffed with sufficient personnel, would serve as a liaison with the armed forces on all retirement matters. He argued that activating this provision would simplify the process and save time for retirees.
Al-Arabi stressed that the pension fund is legally obligated to recalculate pensions and allowances based on new salary figures. He said retirees—both military and civilian—should not bear the burden of any lack of full financial coverage after completing years of service. He added that pension adjustments should include civilians as well, following relevant legislation.
He concluded by thanking the commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief for their continued attention to retirees’ concerns.
Major General Mahdi Al-Arabi previously served as head of the Training Authority in the Libyan Ministry of Defense, which was known during Muammar Gaddafi’s rule as the “Interim General Defense Committee.” He also served as commandant of the Military Academy in Tripoli, before being arrested by forces from the city of Zawiya in September 2011 and imprisoned there until his release.