KARACHI, July 8: The governor of Sindh, Dr Ishratul Ibad, on Thursday said the August 18 by-election for National Assembly's NA-229 Tharparkar seat will be held in a peaceful and transparent manner.

He said that no one would be allowed to take the law into their hands, while the government machinery would fully ensure that law and order situation and untoward incidents similar to those reported during the May 12 by-elections in Karachi were not repeated.

Talking to newsmen after chairing the 12th meeting of the senate of the NED University of Engineering and Technology, in the capacity of chancellor, Ibad said the government had in principle agreed to set up a separate diplomatic enclave in the city.

The plan pertaining to the protected diplomatic area, similar to the one existing in Islamabad, was being considered to eliminate security hassles and inconveniences faced by the general people, Ibad said, pointing out that the said idea was being considered in the wake of proposals given by both the citizens of Karachi and people of the diplomatic core.

Replying to a question, Ibad said police were actively searching for two women between ages 18 and 20, believed to be sisters and suspected suicide bombers. Strict measures had already been taken at mosques, imambargahs and other sensitive places, and the government would not allow the women to accomplish their plan, he noted.

Turning to affairs of the public institutions of higher education, the governor said he did not want to implement the Model University Ordinance-2002 in public sector universities of Sindh by force, but would like to hear from the varsities on the issue themselves.

"There is no need to promulgate an ordinance for amending certain provisions in charters already granted to various universities, as I understand that these institutions are well in a position to adopt the changes themselves, if it suits them," the governor told a questioner.

To another question, the governor said the provincial government was very much ready to take over the administrative control of the federal government-run Dawood College of Engineering and Technology.

He said that he had a talk with the federal minister for Education, Zubaida Jalal, the other day on the issue of DCET, and she had agreed to hand over the college to Sindh.

As soon as formalities regarding transfer of the college's assets and provision of funds to the provincial government were finalised, the college would be transferred to Sindh government, he stated.

He mentioned that after adopting the college, Sindh government would review the DCET's existing admission policy to bring it in line with the policies of the NED university and other institutions run under the provincial government charter.