FETO-linked school staff lose court appeal in Pakistan

By Yusuf Hatip

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) – A high court in the capital Islamabad has rejected an appeal to extend visas of dozens of Turkish teachers and administrative staff employed by Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO)-linked schools in Pakistan, a judicial source said.

The Islamabad High Court on Thursday said the appeal had been denied on the grounds it was "unauthorized", saying the visa extension request did not fall in the court’s jurisdiction.

On Tuesday, Pakistan ordered dozens of Turkish staff working at the Pak-Turk Education Foundation to leave the country via a notification issued by the Interior Ministry to Fesih Celik, the school network's chief executive officer.

The Pak-Turk Education Foundation had approached the court for a stay in the execution of the order. According to the Pakistani daily Dawn, the petitioners' counsel had requested the court to grant more time to the over 400 family members of the 70 Turkish school staff members. However, the court directed them to approach the ministry for an extension.

According to Pakistani law, a request for visa extension could only decided by the Interior Ministry, which has ordered them to leave by Nov. 20.

During his two-day visit to Pakistan, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday welcomed Pakistan’s resolve in dismantling the FETO network in the country.

Erdogan said: “It is necessary to dismantle this evil network. The terrorist organization is a threat to the security of Pakistan.”

The Pak-Turk Education Foundation is said to be operating 28 schools across Pakistan.

The government accuses FETO leader Fetullah Gulen, of being the mastermind behind the July 15 coup attempt and a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police, and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the “parallel state”. The defeated coup had left 248 people martyred and 2,193 injured.

Gulen has been living in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania since 1999.