Pak to expel 400 Turkish school staff
karachi — Pakistan has ordered Turkish teachers at schools with alleged links to a Turkish cleric opposed to President Tayyip Erdogan to leave the country, as it prepared to host the Turkish leader on Wednesday.
The teachers and their families, totalling about 450 people, were given three days notice to leave, PakTurk International Schools and Colleges said in a statement late on Tuesday.
PakTurk educates more than 10,000 students in Pakistan and denies any affiliation with the cleric Fethullah Gulen, or his ‘Hizmet’ movement. Erdogan has accused Gulen, a former political ally, of being behind a coup attempt in July, and Turkey has previously asked Pakistan to shutdown any groups in the country that have links to the cleric.
“PakTurk International Schools and Colleges are deeply concerned over the abrupt decision of the government requiring the Turkish teachers, management and their family members to leave the country within three days,” the school said. It added that the staff were asked to leave because of “non-approval of their requests for extension of visa”. Pakistan’s Interior Ministry did not respond to requests for comment.
But before his departure from Ankara, Erdogan praised Pakistan’s actions against what his government calls the Gulenist Terror Organisation (FETO). “Pakistan’s decision to have people linked to FETO leave the country by November 20 is very pleasing,” Erdogan said.
“Just like Turkey, Pakistan is carrying out a relentless fight against terror. Turkey supports Pakistan’s battle until the end.”
Turkey and Pakistan have traditionally had close ties, which have warmed further under the leadership of Erdogan and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.