MESOP : TURKISH BIG BUSINESS SUPPORTS FETULLAH GUELEN – TUSKON business group protects Gülen’s empire in Pakistan

MALIK AYUB SUMBAL – ISLAMABAD – 24 July 2016 – The Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) is working hard to protect the Fethullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and their agenda in Pakistan following the failed coup attempt in Turkey. TUSKON claims to be the largest business non-governmental organization (NGO), with 34,300 members representing 1,000 companies, with a presence in all of Turkey’s 81 cities. The Turkish business groups in Pakistan have a strong affiliation with TUSKON and are followers of Fethullah Gülen, allowing the terrorist organization in Pakistan to support the latest coup attempt.

TUSKON has a very influential network in Pakistan, with hundreds of companies associated with FETÖ, and they have great impact on social, political and religious circles in Pakistan. They have invested billions of rupees in various business sectors. Following the failed-coup attempt, there is unrest among all TUSKON companies and their member groups in Pakistan.

Well-informed sources, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of this information, revealed to this writer that the TUSKON-related companies are very distant from official Turkish organizations working in Pakistan. They are reluctant to interact with Turkish government officials and other humanitarian organizations. TUSKON uses the office of the Pak-Turk Businessmen Association (PTBA) in Lahore. PTBA Chairman Sahir Rasheed revealed his association with TUSKON in a recent interview, saying: “As you know, the PTBA is in a partnership with TUSKON. TUSKON is a non-governmental and non-profit umbrella organization representing seven business federations and 212 business associations. Today, TUSKON represents 55,000 business people and more than 140,000 companies, and it is the largest business-NGO in the country. TUSKON has a member association in every city and important district of the country, and in this respect, TUSKON is the most widespread business NGO in the Turkish business community.”

In Pakistan, TUSKON-associated businesses are trying to disassociate from FETÖ to avoid problems, due to the close governmental ties between Pakistan and Turkey. Pak-Turk schools in Pakistan run by FETÖ work under the shelter of TUSKON, with these schools and colleges highly protected by businessmen’s groups and associations. SEE TV channel, made compulsory for Pak-Turk schools and college students to watch, is owned by PTBA Chairman Rasheed. These channels show programs from Samanyolu TV that are dubbed into Urdu. Pak-Turk schools and colleges publish rebuttals in the Pakistani media against news published in Daily Sabah, stating that they have no link with the U.S.-based Fethullah Gülen, but nonetheless promote Gülen’s speeches through CDs distributed to students and distribute the movement’s official Fountain magazine, which has articles by Gülen. The Fountain magazine is published by the FETÖ-linked Harmony Publications, and students at Pak-Turk schools are forced to purchase this magazine. Despite all this, Pak-Turk management are afraid of being associated with Gülen, due to the risk that 21 branches in Pakistan will be closed. Social media in Pakistan has blasted Pak-Turk schools and exposed their affiliation with FETÖ. www.mesop.de