Islamabad, July 31 - Holding that then president Pervez Musharraf had acted extra-judicially, illegally and unconstitutionally in imposing an emergency and sacking Supreme Court judges two years ago, Pakistan's apex court Friday termed as null and void the steps he had taken Nov 3, 2007.

A 14-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry, however, stopped short of censuring Musharraf as had been demanded in a petition the court was hearing against the declaration of the emergency.

This was not surprising considering that Friday morning, while concluding the hearing, Chaudhry had said the court would not pass a verdict that would trigger chaos in the country.

He made the remark after Attorney General Lateef Khosa said the verdict should be such that it did not harm the 'system'.

On being queried as to what the 'system' was, Khosa replied that this included the president, the prime minister, parliament and the provincial assemblies.

In concluding the hearing Friday morning, Chaudhry had announced it would deliver its verdict at 3.30 p.m. after the Friday prayers.