FETO poses risk to Pakistan: Turkish parliament speaker

By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's parliament speaker said on Monday that Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) poses a potential danger to Pakistan and other countries.

Binali Yildirim received Pakistani lawmakers and media representatives in capital Ankara.

"FETO, which is active as a terrorist and criminal organization in more than 160 countries, clearly serves a global agenda," said Yildirim.

He added: "For this reason, FETO is a potential danger for Pakistan as well as the countries where it exists."

Yildirim called on Pakistani authorities to cooperate against FETO.

FETO and its U.S.-based leader Fetullah Gulen orchestrated the defeated coup of July 15, 2016, 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, particularly the military, police, and judiciary.

Yildirim recalled that Pakistan has backed Turkey against all U.S. impositions.

"Against all decisions [on Turkey] taken by the U.S. administration, brother Pakistan was the country which supported us," he said.

Yildirim added that brotherhood between the two countries has continued since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947.