Islamabad, November 03: Pakistan's beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf tonight imposed emergency, suspended Constitution citing rising violence by Islamic militants and "constant" judicial interference and sacked the Supreme Court Chief Justice ahead of crucial apex court ruling on the legality of his election.

In a swift reaction, an eight-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhury declared the emergency unconstitutional but the top judge was himself removed at the end of a day of fast-paced developments.

After weeks of speculation, around dusk troops took positions in and around vital installations and some private TV channels went off the air in an indication that emergency was in the offing.

Telephone lines and mobile phones were also jammed.

The apex court building was also surrounded by troops with judges inside but, Chaudhury, who was suspended in March and later reinstated after a bitter spat with the General, is believed to have refused to take fresh oath under the emergency proclamation.

Musharraf, 64, who had seized power in a bloodless coup ousting Nawaz Sharif in October, 1999, took the step as he struggled to contain the militant violence and faced serious challenge to his political authority, raising doubts over parliamentary polls planned for January.

The Provisional Constitutional Order issued by the General, who was re-elected as President but the result was stayed by the Supreme Court pending its verdict next week, suspended the current Constitution.

In his order, the military ruler said "some members of the judiciary are working at cross purposes with the executive and the 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.

"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's decision came under immediate attack from Sharif, who was deported recently to Saudi Arabia, while another former prime minister Benazir Bhutto left Dubai for home, cutting short her four-day stay there.

On her arrival in Karachi, she was not allowed to de-board, reports said. Benazir Bhutto, who had returned on October 18 after eight years of self imposed exile, had left for Dubai on Thursday.

Security forces arrested Eitzaz Ahsan, Supreme Court Bar Association chief who successfully defended Chaudhury after he was suspended in March by Musharraf.

Ahsan had represented the petitioners opposing Musharraf's re-election in the Supreme Court.

The Association, which had spearheaded a massive anti-Musharraf campaign by the lawyers, had earlier issued a resolution saying it will oppose imposition of emergency.

State run PTV said the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan would not be affected by the move.

The assembly in North West Frontier Province had been dissolved last month and a caretaker government set up there.

Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, who was one of the judges in the bench that heard the case against Chaudhury, was appointed the new Chief Justice and was sworn-in.

Five other judges took fresh oath under the emergency proclamation.

The Supreme Court had earlier said it will give its verdict by November six on the legality of Musharraf's re-election in uniform for the post of President.

Musharraf had said that if re-elected he would doff his uniform, a key demand of the opposition.

However, later he said he will decide on his course of action after the Supreme Court ruling on his re-election, leading to speculation that he may declare a state of emergency or martial law in case of an adverse verdict.

Ahead of clamping emergency, Musharraf held a series of meetings with close aides, security advisors and senior ministers.

He was briefed by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao on the situation in Swat, where over 150 people have died in clashes between government troops and militants.

This was followed by a meeting at the presidency between Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, ruling PML-Q chief Chaudhury Shujaat Hussain, cabinet ministers and senior intelligence officials.

In the order proclaiming emergency, Musharraf said "constant interference" by some members of the judiciary in executive functions, relating to control of terrorist activities, economic policies and price control had "weakened the writ" of the government and demoralised the police force, preventing it from pursuing the terrorists.

Some hard-core militants, extremists, terrorists and suicide bombers were ordered to be released.

Security was especially tight in the national capital and key cities like Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar.

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