Turkish parliament thanks Imran over FETO fight

ANKARA (AA): Turkish parliamentarians thanked Pakistan’s Prime Minister in a letter over the ban of schools affiliated with the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey. “We welcomed the decision taken by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for the handing over of the FETO-run schools in the country to the Maarif Foundation of Turkey and listing FETO as a terrorist organization,” read the letter sent to Imran Khan.

In late December, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had ordered the government to declare FETO a terror group and to ban its affiliated schools in the country. The top court also ordered the transfer of FETO’s “movable and immovable assets”, schools, colleges, education centers and other similar entities to Turkey’s Maarif Foundation. Turkey’s education body immediately took over the FETO-linked schools in Pakistan, the letter noted.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the Pakistani authorities,” said the letter penned by the friendship group between the parliaments of Turkey and Pakistan. The concrete steps of Pakistani government against FETO “confirmed yet again the strong relations between our countries,” it underlined. “We would like you to know that our country will continue to provide every support to Pakistan, and, as in every other field, exert efforts for the purpose of developing education together,” the letter added.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency on Friday, Ali Sahin, the head of parliamentary group, expressed support for Khan’s decision. Underscoring the FETO threat in some foreign countries apart from Pakistan, Sahin said: “We want Pakistan’s decision to serve as a model for the other countries.” The 2016 coup bid, claiming 251 lives and injuring nearly 2,200 others, was orchestrated by FETO and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen. Ankara accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary. FETO has a considerable presence outside Turkey, including private schools that serve as a revenue stream for the terrorist group.