Around 450 Turkish teachers of Pak-Turk International Schools and college network left Pakistan along with their families before the Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erodogan's official visit to the country on November 16. An official source told that the Ministry of Interior did not renew visas of 108 Turkish teachers along with 300 family members following the recommendation of Foreign Office and asked them to leave the country.
Alamgir Khan, Chairman, Board of Directors of Pak Turk Education Foundation stated that Turk International Schools and Colleges are deeply concerned over the abrupt decision of the Government requiring the Turkish teachers, management and their family members numbering approximately 450 individuals including school-going children, infants and ladies to leave the country within a very short time in consequence of non-approval of their requests for extension of visa. He said, "We are in touch with the related authorities and are constantly assessing the situation relying on the commitment of the Government of Pakistan's concerned authorities through their written comments filed before the Islamabad High Court that they do not intend to take any adverse action against Pak-Turk International Schools & Colleges across Pakistan".
The educational activities at all branches of Pak-Turk educational institutions across Pakistan are however operational. Some media reports claim that new staff of Pak-Turk Schools has arrived in Pakistan.
The future of 28 schools and colleges set up by the Pak-Turk International Schools and college network plunged into uncertainty after Turkish ambassador called on government of Pakistan to close down all the institutions backed by the Fethullah Gulen's Hizmet movement following a failed coup in Turkey in July this year. The network of schools and colleges in Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur and Jamshoro has staff strength of 1500 who teach around 10000 students from pre-school to A-levels.
According to details, Pak-Turk International Educational Foundation had applied online for registration with the Ministry of Interior as an international non-governmental organisation (INGO) and its application was under process. According to an official statement available on Pak-Turk schools website, the Pak-Turk International Schools and Colleges in Pakistan are a charitable and non-political endeavour in the country, organized and established for human development and inter alia in the field of education for the benefit of all Pakistanis especially the poor, needy and deserving sections of the society.