Martial law declared in Pakistan

CNN.com

LAHORE, Pakistan (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.

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