LAHORE: In a move aimed at promoting fiscal prudence and environmental responsibility, the head of two of Pakistan’s premier civil service training institutions has begun using a bicycle for official commuting and on-campus travel, replacing the conventional use of official vehicles.
Farhan Aziz Khawaja, Director General of the Civil Services Academy (CSA) and Rector of the National School of Public Policy (NSPP), has formally adopted the bicycle for his daily commute within the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) Campus and for routine official duties. The step, announced on Monday, has been presented as a practical response to the country’s economic pressures as well as a gesture aligned with the government’s austerity and environmental policies.
Officials at the academy told The News that the initiative seeks to reduce operational costs associated with fuel consumption and vehicle maintenance while simultaneously promoting environmentally responsible behaviour among civil servants in training.
Speaking about the decision, Mr Khawaja said leadership must set the tone for institutional change, adding, “True leadership is about leading from the front.” The initiative originated from the Environment, Health and Horticulture Society (EHHS) operating at the PAS Campus of the CSA. According to officials, the society had proposed a shift toward sustainable mobility practices in view of Lahore’s worsening smog conditions and rising fuel costs.
Under the initiative, senior leadership is encouraged to adopt bicycles for short-distance travel within the campus and nearby official engagements. Organisers say the measure could lead to a measurable reduction in monthly fuel expenditures for executive offices while also lowering the institutional carbon footprint.
Members of the EHHS have also begun working on making the campus more bicycle-friendly, including improvements to internal pathways, parking arrangements and awareness campaigns for officers undergoing training.
The move is also intended to encourage healthier lifestyles among faculty members and probationary officers, many of whom spend long hours in classrooms and administrative work. Advocates argue that integrating cycling into daily routines can help counter sedentary habits linked to lifestyle diseases.
“If senior leadership adopts environmentally responsible practices, it sends a strong signal throughout the administrative hierarchy,” said a Lahore-based environmental policy expert. “These kinds of institutional examples can shape the mindset of future civil servants who will later design and implement public policy.”
