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And with the Prime Minister saying that national elections scheduled for January could now be delayed for up to a year, opposition leader Benazir Bhutto echoed the views of many when she said: 'This is not an emergency. This is martial law. It is extra-constitutional and illegal.'
Ms Bhutto and other leading politicians have hinted at an alliance under which they would challenge the government's move, which is aimed at tackling rising militancy and a hostile judiciary.
And Islamic politicians, who have long opposed Pakistan's support for the United States 'war on terror', yesterday called for nationwide protests to topple General Musharraf.
Despite a media blackout imposed under the emergency, the leader of an alliance of Islamist opposition parties predicted mass protests.
Mr Qazi Hussain Ahmed told a congregation of 20,000 people near Lahore: 'People will now come out on the streets and will throw out the military dictator.'
The legal profession, which has been at loggerheads with the President for some time, is also weighing in, with Supreme Court Bar Association senior member Hamid Ali Khan saying: 'We are launching our struggle from tomorrow. Lawyers will be observing a strike.'
In what appeared to be a bid to calm anger at Gen Musharraf's move, Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said yesterday the government is committed to holding national elections, although it has not decided when.
Pakistan had been due to hold elections by January, and the Supreme Court had been set to rule on Gen Musharraf's eligibility to stand for another term as president.
But the imposition of emergency rule has left the country in limbo.
Speculation is rife that Gen Musharraf declared emergency rule and sacked a hostile chief justice to pre-empt a possible adverse ruling on his eligibility to stand for president, and so hold on to power.
But Mr Aziz, who told a news conference that 500 opposition activists had been arrested, said: 'We are committed to making sure that elections are held, and that the democratic process flourishes in Pakistan.'
However, he also said emergency rule would last 'as long as necessary'. He added: 'The Parliament could give itself more time, up to a year, in terms of holding the next elections.'
And if Gen Musharraf's move is a bid to cling to power, analysts say it is set to backfire badly and may worsen the internal security situation in the country, which it is supposed to address.
Meanwhile, Singapore Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo yesterday described Pakistan's imposition of a state of emergency as 'very troubling'.
He said: 'It is a step back from the democratic process which the Pakistanis were getting back onto.'
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Singaporeans heading for Pakistan should register with the ministry.
Mr Yeo told reporters in Singapore: 'It is a very complicated situation, not just within Pakistan, but with Pakistan's relations with Afghanistan and Pakistan's relations with India.
'So, the situation is very complicated, and we hope that good sense will prevail and some sense of compromise will be achieved within Pakistan itself.'
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM REUTERS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
