Musharraf declares martial law

CNN:

Faced with increasing violence and unrest, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday declared a state of emergency, government sources told CNN.

The nation's constitution has been suspended, government sources said, and martial law has been declared.

In Islamabad, troops entered the Supreme Court and were surrounding the judges' homes, according to CNN's Syed Mohsin Naqvi.

The Supreme Court has declared the state of emergency illegal, Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry told CNN. He said he and an eight-member panel of judges decided the declaration was unconstitutional, and that Musharraf has no power to make it.

Earlier, private networks had reported the declaration was imminent as top officials huddled at the presidency. Shortly after that report, most media channels went off the air in an apparent blackout, although some flickered off and on.

The declaration could potentially delay approaching parliamentary elections, according to CNN's Nic Robertson. It also could provide Musharraf with a reason to continue serving as the nation's military chief, although he has pledged to step down from that post.

The declaration follows the Thursday departure of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who went to Dubai to visit family. She returned to Pakistan last month after several years in exile.

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For weeks the country has been coasting in a state of political limbo while the Supreme Court works to tackle legal challenges filed by the opposition that calls into question Musharraf's eligibility to hold office. Some have speculated that a declaration of emergency is tied to rumors the court is planning to rule against Musharraf.

Musharraf, who led the 1999 coup as Pakistan's army chief, has seen his power erode since a failed effort earlier this year to fire Chaudhry. His administration is also struggling to contain a surge in Islamic militancy.

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This could be an effort to preempt a decision by the Supreme court to nullify Musharraf's recent reelection as President. What is needed most in Pakistan right now is a coherent plan for dealing with the enemy forces in the tribal region. The troops that have been sent to the region have been ineffective and performed poorly. The Taliban has captured many of them and has executed several. Pakistan needs to take effective measures to defeat the Taliban and al Qaeda forces. If it does not the situation can further deteriorate.

One of the unfortunate ironies of this situation is that the Taliban were created by the Pakistan intelligence service to control Afghanistan. They have been sound defeated in Afghanistan, but they pose a greater threat to Pakistan now.