Musharraf Declares Emergency Rule in Pakistan

Soldiers guard the administrative center of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, after President Musharraf's announcement. (By Wally Santana -- Associated Press)

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Meanwhile, the government instituted tough new media restrictions that made it a crime to defame Musharraf, the army or the government. One private news station that has been particularly critical of Musharraf, Aaj, was raided early Sunday, and police attempted to remove the station's broadcasting equipment.

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"He's pretty much carrying out a second coup," said Hasan Askari Rizvi, an analyst. "For all practical purposes, it is direct military rule. And he becomes the supreme ruler of Pakistan. There's no constitutional limit on him because he's set aside the constitution."

Rizvi said Musharraf's stated reasons for declaring an emergency were misleading. "It has nothing to do with the insurgency," he said. "It has to do with Musharraf's political survival."

Mushahid Hussain, a close adviser to Musharraf and a top leader in the ruling party, said the steps amounted to "de facto martial law." He said he had repeatedly tried to persuade the president against the measures in recent days but was outvoted in Musharraf's inner circle.

Hussain predicted that the moves would be disastrous for Musharraf and for the country.

"The way forward has to be democratic and constitutional. Any other course is a recipe for disaster. More importantly, it will not be accepted by the people of Pakistan and it will not work," he said.

According to Hussain, Musharraf convened a meeting of his top advisers on Wednesday to discuss options; 20 of 25 were in favor of emergency rule.

Musharraf appointed a new chief justice to replace Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, who was believed to be under house arrest Saturday night. Journalists were barred from approaching Chaudhry's residence.

This March, Chaudhry was removed from the court by Musharraf, but the court reinstated him in July.

The other dissenting judges were also removed from office Saturday and escorted away in police vehicles about 8:30 p.m. Before they were removed, the group of seven justices had issued a ruling that Musharraf's decision was unconstitutional and had "no ground/reason." The court ordered that the emergency rule should not be instituted.

Four judges signed an oath to abide by Musharraf's new provisional constitution, and were immediately sworn in to a new panel.

"This is a very fateful day for the country. Pakistan is in deep, deep crisis," Aitzaz Ahsan, Chaudhry's attorney, said hours before being arrested. "It is one man against the nation."