"Restoration of the judiciary, democracy and the constitution of 1973 is the number one item on our agenda," Sharif told a news conference in Lahore [Images].

"Elimination of the military's role in politics in number two on the agenda, and we will also work for the security of the people, creation of a tolerant society, overall national reconciliation and economic development."

Sharif, 58, decided to contest the January 8 parliamentary polls after he failed to convince his political rival, Pakistan People's Party chief Benazir Bhutto [Images], and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman to boycott the elections.

"I was in favour of a complete boycott, and I would support an unanimous boycott even now, but I won't back a partial boycott," he said.

Even while he was initially campaigning to get all political parties to back a boycott, Sharif had pushed for reinstating judges who were sacked for not endorsing the emergency imposed last month by President Pervez Musharraf [Images].

Sharif, who has alleged that the ruling PML-Q would indulge in rigging, has asserted that free and fair polls cannot be held without an independent judiciary. He refused to file an appeal after his nomination papers for the elections were rejected, saying such a move would legitimise judges who have sworn allegiance to Musharraf.

Differences over reinstating the deposed judges came in the way of the PML-N and the PPP forging a joint front against Musharraf. Bhutto committed herself to the independence of the judiciary but refused to back the reinstatement of the judges.

"Who can say that what happened on November 3 was right? This man (Musharraf) has placed himself ahead of Pakistan and is willing to destroy any institution just to stay in power," said Sharif, a two-time premier who was ousted from power by Musharraf in a bloodless coup in 1999.

He said the PML-N's manifesto guarantees the rights of the masses, including farmers, labourers and the poor. The party, he said, will work for poverty reduction, security and economic development.

"There will be relief for the poor through poverty alleviation. We will also take steps to provide employment, education and health," said Sharif, who returned to Pakistan last month from nearly seven years in exile.

He noted that the PML-N had played a pioneering role in initiating economic reforms in Pakistan during his first tenure as prime minister in the early 1990s. "Even late Indian

Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao had appreciated our reforms and asked me whether he could send a team of officials to study the work we had done," he said.

"But economic development has been hampered by repeated spells of military rule and dismissal of elected governments."

With the release of the PML-N's manifesto, all major political parties in the fray for the general election have issued their manifestos. Leaders are now focussing on the election campaign, which is expected to witness a lull during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha holidays.