KHANEWAL, June 22: Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani reiterated PPP) commitment to restore the judges through a constitutional package sacked under the Nov-3 emergency rule.

"We are sincere in reinstating the judges," Mr Gilani said while addressing an election-related public meeting in Jahanian, 30 km from here. He said the PPP and its coalition partners would respect the mandate they had got in the Feb 18 elections.

Mr Gilani arrived here to support PPP candidate Makhdoom Murid Hussain Qureshi, brother of Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is contesting a by-election for PP-219.

He said the PPP was following the agenda left by its slain leader Benazir Bhutto. He said besides the restoration of the judiciary, his government would take measures to uphold the rule of law and the restoration of the 1973 constitution. About the PPP candidate, he said: "Jahanian is my second home and the people of Jahanian always supported the PPP. As PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has expressed his confidence in Murid Qureshi, I hope you will also support him."

Amid charged slogans and cheers, Mr Gilani announced gas supply for various rural areas in the constituency besides instructing the Punjab government to give ownership rights to katchi abaadi residents and waiving of abiana or water tax on the crops affected by weather conditions. He also announced Rs1 million each for the Jahanian press club and bar association.

Addressing the gathering, Foreign Minister Mahmood Qureshi said the PPP government would not act like former prime minister Shaukat Aziz who had left the country soon after his tenure was over.

"We are not like Q leaguers as we will die at this sacred land," he said. He criticised opposition candidate Karam Dad Wahla, saying he had changed parties many times. Wahla joined and ditched the PML-N, the PPP and the PML-Q, Mr Qureshi said, adding recently the opposition candidate had tried to rejoin the PML-N or the PPP. When he was refused by both parties, he also ditched his previous party PML-Q, Mr Qureshi said.

He said Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had withdrawn PML-N candidate Rao Saadat Ali in favour of the PPP candidate.