ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday imposed a state of emergency in the country and promulgated a Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) holding the Constitution in abeyance.

“Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf has imposed a state of emergency in the country and issued a Provisional Constitutional Order,” an official statement said, without using the word “president” for Gen Musharraf.

Under the PCO, the Constitution will remain in abeyance. However, General Musharraf did not suspend the Senate, National Assembly or the Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan assemblies. The local governments will also continue to work.

The PCO empowers the president to amend the Constitution. With the promulgation of the PCO, fundamental rights under Articles 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 19 and 25 of the Constitution will remain suspended while all provisions of the Constitution under Articles 2, 2A, 31, 203A to 203J, 227 to 231 and 260(3a and b) will remain in force.

The proclamation of emergency order cited “increasing interference by some members of judiciary” and increasing terrorist attacks as justifications. The imposition of emergency comes as the Supreme Court was hearing a petition challenging Gen Musharraf’s eligibility to contest presidential elections. The government was reportedly expecting an adverse decision in the case, with intelligence reports indicating that most judges on the 11-member bench were likely to rule against the president. The prime minister and his cabinet, and the provincial governors and chief ministers of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan and their cabinets will remain in place.

The decision to impose an emergency and promulgate the PCO was taken at a high-level meeting, which started at noon and continued till 5pm. Gen Musharraf chaired the meeting and his top commanders attended.

All private local and foreign TV news channels were taken off air at 5:05pm and Pakistan Television (PTV) made the first announcement about emergency rule at 6:05pm. Army troops, Rangers and police were deployed at the PTV headquarters, Radio Pakistan, parliament building, Constitution Avenue, airport and other government buildings.