Musharraf imposes emergency rule
Troops have been deployed inside state-run TV and radio stations, while independent channels have gone off air.
Gen Musharraf is awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on whether he was eligible to run for re-election last month while remaining army chief.
Pakistan has been engulfed in political upheaval in recent months, and the security forces have suffered a series of blows from pro-Taleban militants opposed to Gen Musharraf's support for the US-led "war on terror".
The BBC's Barbara Plett reports from Islamabad that fears have been growing in the government that the Supreme Court ruling could go against Gen Musharraf.
Land and mobile telephone lines are down in Islamabad, reports say.
Private channels Geo News and Dawn News earlier quoted unnamed sources as saying the government had made up its mind to declare emergency rule. Shortly afterwards they came off air.
One TV channel reported that emergency rule may involve the suspension of the constitution.
Parliamentary elections are due in January - it is not clear whether they will go ahead.
Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who recently returned to the country after years of self-exile to lead her party in the elections, is currently in Dubai on a personal visit.Read More
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"There had been a visible ascendancy in the activities of extremists and incidents of terrorist attacks," said a provisional constitutional order issued by Musharraf explaining why he has taken such a move.
The order, a copy of which was seen by Agence France-Presse (AFP), also blamed the "interference" by Pakistan's judiciary for the imposition of emergency rule.
"Some members of the judiciary are working at cross purposes with the executive and legislature in the fight against terrorism and extremism, thereby weakening the government and the nation's resolve and diluting the efficacy of its action to control this menace," the order said.
It said a "situation has thus arisen where the government of the country cannot be carried on in accordance with the constitution, and as the constitution provides no solution for the situation, there is no way out except through emergent and extraordinary measures."
Musharraf has also suspended the country's 1973 constitution under the emergency rule order, but the federal and provincial assemblies will still function, officials said.
The suspension of the constitution has normally been seen as an imposition of martial law during previous states of emergency in Pakistan's tumultuous history.
Elections Fate
The troops and police further surrounded the Supreme Court in Islamabad, which is due in coming days to give a verdict on the legality of Musharraf's victory in an October 6 presidential election.
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