1. A packet classifier for a network processor having a plurality of processing modules and at least one shared system memory, wherein the network processor generates one or more tasks corresponding to each of a plurality of received packets, the packet processor comprising: a scheduler configured to generate a thread of one or more contexts for each task received by the packet classifier, wherein the thread corresponds to an order of instructions applied to the corresponding packet; a multi-thread instruction engine configured to process one or more threads received from the scheduler; wherein the multi-thread instruction engine is further configured to: fetch an instruction of the thread from an instruction memory of the packet classifier; determine whether a breakpoint mode of the network processor is enabled; if the breakpoint mode is enabled: determine whether a breakpoint indicator of the fetched instruction is set; if the breakpoint indicator of the fetched instruction is set: enter a breakpoint mode; otherwise, if the breakpoint indicator of the fetched instruction is not set: execute the fetched instruction.