By Muhammed Semih Ugurlu

ISLAMABAD

Turkey's Maarif Foundation has taken over the management of education institutions once linked to the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) in Pakistan.

In a written statement Thursday, the foundation said Pak-Turk Cag Education Foundation schools were handed over to Turkey’s education body.

Last month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the government to declare the FETO a terror group and and to ban its affiliated schools in the country.

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

After the top court ruling, the Interior Ministry declared the Pak-Turk Cag Education Foundation as a terrorist organization and banned its activities in the country. 

The government has also frozen the bank accounts of the FETO-linked 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.

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 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.

* Nilay Kar in Istanbul contributed to this story