ISLAMABAD, July 29: Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz has said the administration of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) directed 85 families residing in its colony in Islamabad to vacate the government flats.

In a written reply to a question of Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) MNA Mian Mohammad Aslam, in the National Assembly, the finance minister said out of 228 flats in the SBP's Staff Colony in Islamabad, only 85 were presently occupied.

Mr Aziz said 77 occupants had already availed house building advance facility and constructed their own houses. He said some employees had put their houses in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, constructed after availing bank's house building advance facility, on rent and were themselves availing residential facility at the bank's colony at lower rents. He said such people had been advised to vacate the flats.