KARACHI - Up to two dozen shops were gutted when a fire broke out in a store in Soldier Bazaar on Sunday morning. According to police officials, about 20 shops in the plastic market (also called CM Market) in Soldier Bazaar went up in flames after a short-circuit in one of them sparked a massive blaze. The fire, which erupted in shop number 3, engulfed other stores before the fire service arrived. Residents of the area said that initially, three fire tenders tried to hose down the blaze but could not do so. Afterwards, another six fire tenders rushed to the site and put down the fire after two hours hectic efforts. According to a Fire Brigade official, Ehtisham, 13 water browsers took part in the operation. After the incident, Karachi Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed visited the market and formed a three-member committee to calculate the losses due to the fire. He also ordered for immediate maintenance and construction work. The administrator also announced compensation for the affected shopkeepers. Admissions in FUUAST from December: Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Kaisar has announced that admissions in the university for the academic year of 2012 will start from the first week of December 2011. He stated that the admission process would be carried out under Central Admission Committee. Muhammad Siddique has been appointed as director of the committee. He declared that admission would be given on the basis of National Testing Service (NTC) test score in the departments of Business Administration, Computer Science, Pharmacy and Geology. Students of B Pharm would be given equivalent certificate after completion of one-year of Pharm D course. Admissions in PhD of Pharmacy, Economics and BBA were also announced. Meanwhile, a 15-member body has been set up to provide recommendations for installation of Faculty of Homeopathy in the university.