CNN quoted the news director of AAJ-TV as saying about two dozen armed policemen stormed the station’s offices, claiming they were under orders to take the equipment, including a van used for making live broadcasts.

In his address to the nation defending the emergency declaration, Musharraf said, “The media could not lend a helping hand to improve the situation” and that he had said several times “that the media should not be negative,” the CNN report said.

Describing the police raid, AAJ news director Talat Hussain told CNN: “We resisted. We said show us the papers.”

He said the officers, who didn’t have proof to support their demands, would only say they had orders from the highest authority and that, “We'll do it the nice way or the other way.”

Hussain said a brief scuffle followed with about 40 journalists at the station although no one was hurt. However, two journalists managed to drive away with the new van. He said the policemen later left the building.