ISLAMABAD: The Spokesperson Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on Monday, released a statement in support of the government of Joran.
“Pakistan expresses solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” the statement read, “Pakistan is following the situation in Jordan. We stand in solidarity with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, led by His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein.”
The statement further affirmed Pakistan’s support for the kingdom to act against elements trying to destabilise the government and the state. “Pakistan fully supports the right of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to preserve its security, stability and sovereignty,” it concluded.
The statement comes in the backdrop of a deepening divide in the Jordanian royal family as former crown prince Hamzah said he will disobey orders by the army to not communicate with the outside world after he was put under house arrest.
The half-brother of King Abdullah II said in a voice recording sent to contacts on Monday and released by the country’s opposition that he would not “escalate” moves after being barred from any activity and told to keep quiet.
“I don’t want to make moves and escalate now, but of course I’m not going to obey when they say you can’t go out, you can’t tweet, you can’t communicate with people, you’re only allowed to see your family,” he said in an audio recording posted on Twitter late on Sunday.
Jordan’s deputy prime minister said on Sunday that Prince Hamzah, 41, had been liaising with “foreigners” in a “malicious plot” to destabilise the country. On Saturday, the military “had issued a warning” to the prince over actions targeting “security and stability” in the kingdom. Prince Hamzah later said he was under house arrest. Several high-profile figures were also detained.
Hamza – a former crown prince stripped of the title by Abdullah in 2004 – has been a vocal critic of the monarchy, accusing it of corruption, nepotism and authoritarian rule.
In a video he sent to a British media outlet, he denied being involved in a plot and said he had been ordered under house arrest by Jordan’s most senior military figure, General Youssef Huneiti.
In the latest recording, Hamzah said: “When the head of the joint chiefs of staff comes and tells you this … I think it’s a bit unacceptable”.
It is unclear why the kingdom decided to take action against Prince Hamzah now, but he has reportedly put himself at risk by making frequent visits to tribal gatherings where some people criticised the king.
Officials said efforts were underway to resolve the crisis within the royal family, in the first such open rift in many years, but the prince was not cooperative.
