PRIME Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani, while speaking at the National School of Public Policy in Islamabad on Thursday, said that the government was committed to establish the supremacy of Parliament and was determined to restore the sacked judiciary. He also said that his government would ensure the rule of law and an independent media. The speech is welcome as it sounds like the right prescription to the problems ailing the country today. It is hoped that the government would live up to people's expectations as its credibility depends upon the fulfilment of the promises made during the election campaign. Unfortunately, the record of about the last 40 days does not support the PM's words. It was promised that the judges would be reinstated but as things stand, the issue remains unresolved. The PPP's lukewarm approach towards the issue suggests that the party is hardly interested in the judges' reinstatement. However one may view the crisis, the fact remains that it was a promise that loomed large during the election campaign, which now must be redeemed. If an issue of that much importance is taking so long, what could be hoped for an independent judiciary? Little wonder, the idea of rule of law now appears like wishful thinking. One fails to associate justice with a court of law. Likewise the concept of inexpensive and timely justice would remain a dream, it seems. Surprisingly, not much has been achieved on other fronts as well. A few days back the PM ordered lifting the ban on wheat procurement by the private sector but the provincial governments refused to carry out the orders. Finally, they had to be cancelled. During his Quetta visit, the PM ordered the release of Sardar Akhtar Mengal who was under detention for some time and was finally released on Friday afternoon. The economic prospects are not that bright either and it appears the situation will remain almost the same. The persistent power outages and the spiralling inflation appear to take the people's confidence away. Frequent protests against loadshedding, particularly in Karachi and Multan, should be a wake-up call for the government to gird up its loins. Let it not be said that it was again an elected government, which failed to provide people food, shelter and clothing. Nevertheless, the PM certainly means it when he says that his government is committed to reinstate the deposed judges and fulfil other  promises made to the electorate. This is exactly what one would like to hear, so to speak. But the people who have been waiting for long now want their grievances to be genuinely addressed.