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Pakistani students and civil society activists gather to rally against ban on students unions in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Students backed by rights activists are holding rallies across the country in a rare show of strength to urge Prime Minister Imran Khan to lift a decades-long ban on peaceful political activities at education institutions. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

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Pakistani students and civil society activists rally against ban on students' unions in Lahore, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Students backed by rights activists are holding rallies across the country in a rare show of strength to urge Prime Minister Imran Khan to lift a decades-long ban on peaceful political activities at education institutions. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

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Pakistani students and civil society activists rally against ban on students' unions in Karachi, Pakistan, Friday, Nov. 29, 2019. Students backed by rights activists are holding rallies across the country in a rare show of strength to urge Prime Minister Imran Khan to lift a decades-long ban on peaceful political activities at education institutions. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)

Pakistani police charge hundreds of protesters with treason

By Associated Press AP

PUBLISHED 4:08 AM ET Dec. 02, 2019

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan’s police say it has charged hundreds of students and activists with sedition for making insulting remarks against its military at a protest demanding the lifting of a ban on political activity at universities.

Sunday’s move by police in the city of Lahore to pursue treason cases against the demonstrators came hours before a tweet from Prime Minister Imran Khan suggesting he would end the 1984 ban on student unions.

Amnesty International condemned the move in a statement Sunday. It asked Pakistan to drop any charges and release those arrested following Friday’s rally in Lahore.

Police said the protesters had chanted against “state institutions,” a term referring to the country’s powerful military. They said the rally was attended by between 250 and 300 people, all of whom would be charged.