From Attock to the World: A Pakistani Entrepreneur Building His Own Linux Distro

From Attock, Punjab, a Pakistani software engineer is working on something that would be ambitious anywhere in the world i.e. building his own computer operating system.

Aamir Shahzad, also known online as ASAKPKE, is the founder of RoshanTech and the developer behind RoshanOS, a Linux-based operating system that aims to offer users a fast, secure, and powerful alternative to the platforms they commonly use.

What makes the story particularly interesting is not simply the technology itself, but where it is being developed and the ambition behind it. A project emerging from a city such as Attock is seeking a place within the much larger global open-source community.

In an interview, Shahzad spoke about RoshanOS, his experience in software development, the challenges of introducing Linux to users familiar with Windows, and his belief in open-source technology. His journey offers an encouraging example of how Pakistani developers can move beyond providing technology services and begin building products of their own.

Shahzad’s Inspiration to Build an Operating System

Shahzad’s journey into technology began with software development. A graduate of COMSATS University, Wah, he started his professional career as a web developer in Islamabad before establishing RoshanTech in 2011.

The company has worked in areas including web development, web applications, and open-source software development. RoshanOS represents a more ambitious step: developing a technology product rather than simply delivering software services to individual clients.

Building an operating system is no small undertaking. It requires technical development, testing, compatibility, security, user experience, documentation, and continued maintenance. It also requires convincing users to try something unfamiliar when established alternatives already dominate the market.

For Shahzad, however, the project grew from a simple idea: to develop his own computer operating system.

Creating an Alternative to Windows

Most personal computer users are familiar with Windows, while relatively few have experience with Linux-based operating systems. Shahzad identified this lack of awareness as one of the major challenges facing projects such as RoshanOS.

He noted that even some IT professionals continue to associate Linux primarily with terminal-based computing. Modern Linux distributions, however, can provide full graphical desktop environments and support many of the activities users expect from a conventional operating system.

RoshanOS seeks to make Linux more accessible while offering additional functionality. According to Shahzad, the project aims to provide support for both Windows and Android applications, combining the flexibility of Linux with features intended for everyday users.

The broader philosophy behind the project is equally important. Shahzad views Linux and open-source software through the principles of sharing, security, and developing powerful technological solutions.

This approach places RoshanOS within a much larger global open-source movement, while giving it a distinctly Pakistani point of origin.

From an Idea to a Product

Shahzad’s approach to entrepreneurship is relatively straightforward: understand a problem carefully, identify the gap, develop an initial solution or minimum viable product, take it to the market, and then continue improving it while delivering more value to customers.

That process is particularly relevant to technology entrepreneurs because developing a product is only the beginning. A successful product must also find users, communicate its value, respond to feedback, and develop a sustainable business model.

RoshanOS is therefore being developed not simply as a technical experiment but as a product with a market in mind. The project has a free core while also offering a professional version, giving it a commercial dimension alongside its open-source foundations.

Shahzad also plans to promote RoshanOS through social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, in an effort to introduce the operating system to a wider audience.

A Pakistani Project Enters the Global Linux Community

One of the most notable milestones in the RoshanOS journey has been its listing on DistroWatch, a well-known website followed by the Linux and open-source community.

For a project developed by a Pakistani entrepreneur, this represents more than a technical achievement. It provides international visibility and places RoshanOS within a global ecosystem of Linux distributions.

The significance of this milestone lies partly in its origin. A software project does not have to emerge from a major international technology centre to participate in a global technological community. A developer working from Attock can build a product, make it publicly available, and seek recognition within an international ecosystem.

Why Product Development Matters for Pakistan

Pakistan has developed a substantial pool of software engineers, developers, freelancers, and IT professionals. Much of the country’s international technology presence, however, has traditionally been associated with software development and services for clients elsewhere.

Those activities remain valuable. Yet building original products represents another form of technological participation.

A company that develops a product of its own is not simply selling technical expertise. It is attempting to create intellectual property, establish a user base, develop a brand, and compete within a global market.

RoshanOS is one example of that transition.

The project also illustrates why Pakistan’s technological potential should not be viewed only through the country’s largest cities. Lahore, Karachi, and Islamabad understandably receive much of the attention, but technological experimentation can emerge from smaller urban centres as well.

Perhaps the most encouraging part of Shahzad’s story is the combination of local roots and global ambition. RoshanOS is being developed in Attock, but its intended audience extends far beyond Pakistan. Its presence on DistroWatch also places the project within a global open-source community.

The journey ahead will not be easy. RoshanOS must compete with established operating systems, build a wider user community, and demonstrate its value to people who are already comfortable with Windows and other familiar platforms.

Yet the project represents something worth recognizing. From Attock, a Pakistani developer is not simply working for the global technology industry. He is attempting to build a product for it.