UPDATE - Pakistan's top court rejects FETO review petition

UPDATES WITH DETAILS OF COURT VERDICT; ADDS MORE BACKGROUND

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan's top court on Tuesday rejected a FETO petition for a final review on the 2018 verdict over handing over the terror group linked schools to Turkey’s Maarif Foundation.

The review petition -- which was filed by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization, the terror group behind the 2016 defeated coup in Turkey, last month -- was heard by a bench comprising of Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan and Justice Maqbool Baqir.

"Today the Honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan has rejected the FETO review petition which they filed against the top court over last year's verdict" Mohammad Sohail Sajid, a local lawyer who filed the petition against FETO-linked schools in 2018, told Anadolu Agency.

The court ruled that the school system belongs to Turkey and the state of Pakistan has already cancelled all No Objection Certificates and Memorandum of Understandings of FETO-linked Pak-Turk International Cag Education Foundation (PTICEF).

The Supreme Court of Pakistan also upheld its verdict that FETO is a terrorist organization declared by the Turkish Parliament and further recognized by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Asian Parliament Assembly.

Even on technical and administrative grounds, the Court will not let anyone to defend terrorists, it ordered.

"Earlier, the application by FETO to change their Counsel was also denied. This chapter of resistance by FETO to reclaim and takeover the school system again is over forever" Sajid said, referring to FETO’s request in February to be represented by a new lawyer in the review petition.

In December, the Supreme Court ruled and directed the Interior Ministry to declare FETO-linked Pak-Turk International Cag Education Foundation (PTICEF) a “proscribed organization” and include its name in the list of terror outfits.

It also directed financial institutions to immediately freeze bank accounts of FETO-linked foundations and give custody assets to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.

Turkey established the Maarif Foundation in 2016 after a coup attempt to take over the administration of overseas schools linked to FETO. It also establishes schools and education centers abroad.

The top court also ordered the transfer of FETO's "movable and immovable assets", schools, colleges, education centers and other similar entities to the Maarif Foundation.

All 28 schools affiliated with FETO, had been handed over by Pakistani authorities to 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 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.