Pakistan's top court orders ban on FETO
Supreme Court of Pakistan directs the government to declare the FETO-linked Pak-Turk International Cag Education Foundation network that runs schools in the country, as a “proscribed organisation” and include its name in the terrorists outfit list.
A three member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued the verdict that bans FETO in the country.
Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday instructed the government to ban the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and a foundation linked to the group that runs a network of schools in the country, court record said.
Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) and its US-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the failed coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people killed and nearly 2,200 injured.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan also ordered the government to hand over the FETO-linked schools and other education institutions to the Turkiye Maarif Foundation.
“We are in no manner of doubt the government of Pakistan has international obligations towards the government of Turkey to declare Fethullah’s Terrorist Organisation (FETO) as a terrorist organisation,” the Supreme Court of Pakistan observed.
FETO is behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.
Turkey established the Maarif Foundation in 2016 to take over the administration of overseas schools linked to FETO.
The foundation also establishes schools and education centers abroad.
TRT World's Hasan Abdullah reports from Ankara
The three member bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Faisal Arab and Justice Ijazul Ahsan issued the verdict.
On December 13, a local lawyer Sohail Sajid had filed a constitutional petition in the Supreme Court and requested to declare the group as a "terror outfit" in the country.
The court directed the Interior Ministry to declare Pak-Turk International Cag Education Foundation (PTICEF), a FETO-linked group that runs schools in the country, as a “proscribed organisation” and include its name in the terrorists outfit list.
The court also ordered the concerned authorities to immediately hand over all movable and immovable assets, schools, colleges, education centers and other similar entities owned by the FETO-linked organisation to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.
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