Turkey hails Pakistan handing over FETO-linked schools

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

A Turkish official on Tuesday thanked Pakistan for handing over to Turkey all schools linked to Fetullah Terrorist Organization, or FETO.

Meeting with Pakistani Law Minister Barrister Farogh Naseem in the capital Islamabad, Birol Akgun, the head of Turkey’s Maarif Foundation, praised Pakistan’s decision to hand over the administration of Pak-Turk Schools to Maarif.

In December Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered the government to declare the FETO a terror group and to ban its affiliated schools in the country. Later all FETO-linked schools were handed over to the Maarif Foundation.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016 in Turkey, which left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.

Ankara also accuses FETO of being behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, including the military, police, and academia.

Turkey established the Maarif Foundation in 2016 to assume the administration of overseas schools linked to FETO, which the group uses as a revenue stream. It also establishes more schools and education centers abroad.

"We're working with the schoolteachers under Maarif to resolve their issues and address their concerns," Birol told Naseem.

He added that Turkey is willing to invest in high-quality education in Pakistan, and Turkish universities are open to Pakistani students.

"Ties in the fields of culture and education are being strengthened between the two brotherly countries," he added.

For his part, Naseem said: "A partnership to train and equip teachers and teaching staff in collaboration with Turkey will strengthen relations between the two countries in the field of education."

We can take this relationship further by forging partnerships in the field of science and technology, he said, adding that Turkey can help Pakistan establish laboratories, libraries, and universities.

He added that he would invite Maarif to expand its scope in Pakistan.

He said the countries share beliefs and values, and Pakistanis see Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as an elder brother.

Birol was accompanied by Mustafa Caltili, Osman Demirgul, and Selahattin Batur, Maarif’s top officials in Pakistan.