FETO’s Back Bone Broken- Gulen’s Repatriation from USA Awaited -Ambassador Ihsan Mustafa-by Tazeen Akhtar

Ambassador of Turkey Ihsan Mustafa Yurdakul has said that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan can visit Pakistan before the end of this year. Pakistan has improved security situation that enables to promote economy, investments and tourism. Turkey hosted 2.5 Million tourists this year and earned 40 Billion Dollars from this sector. We are ready to share our experiences and expertise in tourism and hospitality industry with Pakistan.

Ambassador was guest at the programme “Meet the Press” organized by Council of the Pakistan Newspapers Editors (CPNE) here on 04 July 2019. Member editors, other senior journalists, representatives of electronic media, BBC, Voice of America and civil society were also present.

H.E Ihsan Mustafa said that Pakistan-Turkey relations are unique in nature. Actually it is a strong bond between the two countries. Both countries have no issue in between and stand side by side at all regional and international fora.

Turkish Ambassador spoke on a wide range of subjects and answered to the journalists’ questions regarding Pak-Turkey trade, economic relations, tourism potential of Pakistan, Turkish companies’ investment projects as well as contributions to Pakistan’s economic uplift, illegal immigrants challenge being faced by his government, cooperation between the two countries in defence, education and health etc.

Ambassador said that present level of bilateral trade is between 650 to 700 Million Dollars. That is not equal to the actual potential that both countries have. We are working to enhance the level. Turkey and Pakistan has set up joint strategic framework to discuss the prospects of cooperation in all possible sectors. High level visits are also frequent that shows something is always being done in this regard.

Mr. Ihsan Mustafa said that big names of Turkey are already in Pakistan with investments and partnerships. More new people are coming to explore Pakistan. Turkish company Hayat Kimya is investing in Pakistan.

(According to a news report last year, Hayat Group, a Turkish conglomerate, has announced that it is going to invest $150 million in Pakistan’s fast moving consumer goods segment through its subsidiary Hayat Kimya, which manufacture goods in hygiene, tissue and home care categories.

The company will first introduce baby diapers, toilet paper, hand towel and facial tissues, the group executive announced on Monday, saying that Pakistan has huge potential as an emerging market and as the world’s sixth largest population, together with the benevolent relations with Turkey for decades.

The company is the world’s fifth largest branded baby diaper manufacturer, as well as the largest tissue manufacturer of the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa. It will bring its products to Pakistan in February.)

H.E Ihsan Mustafa said that both countries have developed cooperated in defence. We are participating in joint exercises. Aviation is another major sector for enhancing the cooperation and sky is the limit here.

(Turkish Airline has secured the best airline awards in Europe and the World so far. It is operating in Pakistan and a large number of passengers like to travel with Turkish),

Tourism is one of the most successful industries in Turkey. When Pakistanis look for a tour outside the country, the most attractive place before them is Istanbul. To a question Ambassador said that Turkey earned 40 Billion Dollars revenue last year from tourism. 2.5 Million tourists visited Turkey. He said Turkey can share its experiences with Pakistan for the promotion of tourism sector. Pakistan has improved security situation that is important to attract tourists from around the world. Turkey enjoys vast experience in hospitality industry that is also required in Pakistan. Both countries can cooperate in tourism and hospitality sectors.

Replying to a question on FATF, Ambassador said that when there was no one for Pakistan at FATF, Turkey was there. Turkey will support Pakistan always at every forum.

Ambassador discussed with the editors the resolve of Turkish people and the government to keep adhering to democratic principles and foil any attempt of destabilizing the Turkish society by the global terrorist Fetulah Gullen and his outfit FETO .He said Turkey has broken the back bone of FETO but its leader is in Pennsylvania USA. Turkey has done every effort in every possible way for Gullen’s repatriation but USA has not done anything so far in this regard.

Turkey is going to mark the third anniversary of the aborted military coup orchestrated by Feto and its network led by Gullen, on July 15, 2016. The ambassador briefed the participants how the coup was originated and people of Turkey were misled by Gullen and his men.

“It all started under the guise of a charitable education effort back in 1970 when Fetullah Gullen and his followers disguised themselves as a benign education movement and then started the campaign of establishing schools in Turkey and latter around the world,” said the ambassador.

Setting up schools was in fact the first step of an infiltration campaign where kids and their parents were recruited with the seemingly innocent promise of a better education and a good job, said the ambassador.

The students thus enrolled turned into foot soldiers of Gullen who called himself the self-righteous and the chosen one. The organization then gave certain codes to its members and the network expanded to various circles of government attaching great importance to confidentiality which they called ‘precaution.’

The handlers of the Feto members staffed at critical government posts kept their indoctrination up to date and passed on the instructions of their leader. Thus, said the ambassador, the organization that disguised itself as an education movement gradually turned into a secretive operational structure aiming to transform the society by taking control of the Turkish government.

Their goal was to subvert the democratic foundations of the Turkish state and establish a new anti-democratic one under the absolute rule of Gullen.

Giving details of the casualties during the failed coup attempt, the ambassador said Gullen’s disciples within the armed forces did not shy away from using lethal military force against innocent civilians killing 251 and wounding thousands.

However, the people and democracy-loving members of the armed forces refused to obey them and put up an epic resistance resulting in the fall of the Gullen operatives.

The government of Turkey has sent to the US competent authorities all the material evidence reinforcing the request for extradition of Fetullah Gullen the mastermind behind July 15 dreadful trail of events currently living in Pennsylvania but so far no clear reply is received by the US government, said the ambassador. He paid rich tributes to those martyred and injured in their opposition to anti-democratic forces saying the Turkish government and people would continue to salute them for their heroic struggle and remember the day in their memory. He also expressed gratitude to the Pakistani government for supporting Turkey in that difficult hour.