The government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to transform the Kohsar Complex into a clean, green and smoke-free government facility, focusing on improved cleanliness, better parking management, smooth operation of lifts, and a healthier working environment for employees and visitors.
The plan was discussed at a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Saturday. The meeting was held as a follow-up to an earlier session in July that had highlighted urgent repair and maintenance issues at the complex.
Kohsar Complex, located in Islamabad’s Red Zone near the Pakistan Secretariat on Constitution Avenue, houses several federal ministries and government departments. Senior officials, including secretaries, joint secretaries and representatives of all ministries operating from the complex, attended the meeting to discuss shared operational challenges.
Participants raised concerns over persistent traffic congestion and poor parking management, frequent lift breakdowns, and the absence of basic facilities such as a cafeteria or coffee shop. While proposals to expand the existing parking area were discussed, it was agreed that better management of the current space should take priority over expansion.
Addressing the meeting, Minister Junaid Anwar Chaudhry said the Kohsar Complex should reflect professionalism, discipline and efficiency, as it is a public-facing symbol of governance. He stressed the need for coordinated efforts to ensure cleanliness, order and environmental responsibility, and underlined the importance of making the building greener and climate-resilient in line with the government’s sustainability goals.
Secretary of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs Syed Zafar Ali Shah said most of the issues were common across ministries and could be resolved through collective action rather than isolated efforts. He emphasised regular coordination and shared responsibility to maintain consistent operational standards.
Secretary of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani proposed a structured division of responsibilities among the ministries. He suggested assigning specific tasks to each ministry and offered that his ministry could take responsibility for overall cleaning of the complex. He added that the associated budget could be shared among all ministries, with cleaning and maintenance outsourced after a proper needs assessment.
Parking management emerged as a key concern, with the minister noting that disorganised vehicle movement was causing inconvenience for staff and visitors. He called for the introduction of a proper internal traffic management system to reduce congestion and improve safety.
The meeting concluded with an understanding that concrete steps and timelines would be finalised to address the identified issues, with the aim of improving daily operations at the Kohsar Complex and creating a more functional and welcoming environment for government employees and the public.
