Pakistan’s Supreme Court denies FETO request

By Islamuddin Sajid </p> <p>ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) – Pakistan’s top court on Thursday denies Fetullah Terrorist Organization’s (FETO) request to be represented by a new lawyer in a review petition, local lawyer Sohail Sajid told Anadolu Agency.</p> <p>The three member bench said the petition could not file with a senior lawyer against the court’s verdict last year that the group be deemed a terror outfit. </p> <p> </p> <p>Sajid filed a constitutional petition with the Supreme Court last December and requested the group labeled a terror outfit in the country.</p> <p> </p> <p>On Dec. 28, 2018, the 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.</p> <p> </p> <p>It also directed financial institutions to immediately freeze bank accounts of FETO-linked foundations and give custody assets to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.</p> <p> </p> <p>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.</p> <p> </p> <p>The top court also ordered the transfer of FETO's &quot;movable and immovable assets&quot;, schools, colleges, education centers and other similar entities to the Maarif Foundation. </p> <p> </p> <p>All 28 schools affiliated with FETO, had been handed over by Pakistani authorities to Maarif Foundation. </p> <p> </p> <p>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.</p> <p> </p> <p>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.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>