Islamabad: Pakistan has condemned the killing of at least seven people in an attack on a church funeral in southern Jordan, extending condolences to bereaved families and expressing solidarity with the country.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Foreign Office denounced the attack in Jordan’s Karak governorate and wished the injured a speedy recovery, according to Dawn’s report.
It said Pakistan stood with the Jordanian people against terrorism and reiterated its condemnation of terrorism in all forms.
The shooting took place on Friday, October 23, at a Greek Orthodox church compound in Hammoud village. Jordan’s Public Security Directorate said gunmen emerged from a vehicle and opened fire during a funeral procession before fleeing.
Public security chief Major General Abdullah Al Maaytah subsequently announced seven deaths and 34 injuries, with 27 people still receiving treatment, according to the account carried by Dawn.
Search for attackers
Jordanian authorities described the shooting as a terrorist attack. King Abdullah II visited Karak and pledged a firm response against those responsible.
The designation does not establish the attackers’ organisational affiliation. Reuters reported that authorities attributed the attack to extremists, while the investigation sought to identify those involved.
Witness accounts described sustained gunfire and mourners seeking shelter. The number of attackers differed in initial reporting, making the investigation important to establishing a definitive sequence of events.
An attack on a longstanding community
Karak has a significant Christian community in predominantly Muslim Jordan. Christians’ presence in the area extends back centuries, making the attack an assault on a longstanding part of the country’s social fabric, as well as on people attending a funeral.
Jordan has largely avoided the sustained violence experienced by several neighbouring countries, although it has suffered sporadic militant attacks. In 2016, attacks in Karak killed 10 people, including seven police officers.
That history provides context rather than evidence of a connection to Friday’s shooting. Establishing responsibility for the church attack remains a matter for the ongoing investigation.
