By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Pakistanis on Friday applauded the country’s top court verdict that directed the government to designate Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) a terrorist group.

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.

Earlier on Friday, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered the government to declare the FETO a terrorist group and ban its affiliated schools in the country. 

A bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar, also ordered to hand over FETO’s “all the movable and immovable assets”, schools, colleges, education centers and other similar entities to Turkiye Maarif Foundation.

Soon after the verdict was released, dozens of Pakistanis took to the social media to applaud the judgment.  

"This is a historic verdict by the Supreme Court, as FETO is a terrorist organization and was behind the killings of hundreds of innocent Turkish people," Zahid Shah, a journalist and writer, wrote on social media. 

“Now the U.S. should also hand over Fetullah Gulen to Turkey,” Shah added.  

Ibrahim Qazi, a Lahore-based political analyst, also hailed the “landmark” ruling, saying the terror group had developed a dark web within Pakistani society. 

"This is a landmark judgment, better late than never. The FETO had developed a sophisticated dark web within Pakistani society, especially in the media and education […],"Qazi said.  

“The perseverance of Abdul Rehman Peshawari has been reflected in this judgment of the honorable Supreme Court and the will of statecraft to cooperate with government of Turkey under the grand leadership of President Erdogan, he added.

Imranullah Nasar, a university student in Peshawar, said in a Twitter post that the FETO were using its schools in Pakistan to brainwash the entire generation.

"These Institutions were not only a source of income for FETO, but it was also a big security risk for Pakistan as well," Nasar opined.