Musharraf Declares State of Emergency in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 3, 2007 — -- President Pervez Musharraf claims he's declared a state of emergency toreturn stability to Pakistan. But most believe the controversial stepwill just edge this increasingly unhinged nation yet closer to thebrink.

In a televised speech, the military leader said he suspended theconstitution in order to better cope with a spreading pro-Talibaninsurgency.

"Extremism has created a dangerous challenge to the existence of ournation," he said in a late-night address. "Now it's time for us to makevery difficult and painful decisions."

Although he laid out plans to go after the extremists, Musharraf'sdecision to invoke emergency rule appears to have galvanized thecountry's moderates against him.

On Saturday evening, as police and paramilitary troops fanned out acrossIslamabad, soldiers burst into the Supreme Court and whisked away sevenjustices who refused to take an oath under the provisional constitutionalorder that Musharraf issued.

Police also rounded up opposition leaders, lawyers and pro-democracyadvocates who have been agitating for months for an end to militaryrule.

One of the first to be arrested was Aitzaz Ahsan, the president of theSupreme Court Bar Association. He's been a leading public figure callingfor Musharraf's ouster.

"One man has taken entire nation hostage," Ahsan told reporters as hewas muscled into the paddy wagon. "The time has come for Gen.Musharraf to go."

Local television networks reported similar defiance from judges atprovincial high courts around the country. The government abruptlyblocked their transmissions.

Meanwhile, lawyers, opposition leaders and pro-democracy activists vowedto step up their campaign to bring down the ruling junta.

To prevent protestors from descending on the capital, police blocked theroads leading in and out of Islamabad. Phone and Internet service wasbriefly cut.

Pakistanis saw the move as an increasingly desperate bid to hold ontopower by a leader whose approval ratings have plummeted.