ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Monday launched the country’s first locally made ventilator, Pakistani state media reported, describing it as a step toward technological self-reliance.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) last month approved the ‘AlnnoVent’ ventilator, which has been developed by the Alsons Group precision manufacturing firm in Karachi. After successfully passing clinical trials, the ventilator has been officially licensed for production.
The AlnnoVent AVB-100 is an electro-mechanical ICU ventilator that meets international standards of quality and reliability. It supports adult patients across five invasive and two non-invasive ventilation modes, making it suitable for a range of critical care scenarios. The ventilator was created in response to the acute shortage of respiratory aid devices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Iqbal praised the company for its efforts and emphasized that Pakistan needed more such innovators to succeed in a rapidly evolving world, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) news agency reported.
“We require an army of such individuals – people who combine skill, hard work, ambition and the intelligence that defines our nation,” the minister was quoted as saying.
The development comes as Pakistan’s government attempts to steer the country out of a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has weakened the South Asian country’s currency and drained its foreign exchange reserves over the past few years.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has consistently emphasized the need for Islamabad to adopt an export-led economy to achieve sustainable, long-term economic growth.
Iqbal emphasized that Pakistan’s economic success depended on its ability to innovate and produce new products, which would help shift the country to a more export-driven economy.
He urged private sector leaders to leverage Pakistan’s affordable human resource to produce high-quality goods that could compete in global markets.
“You are the drivers of Pakistan’s future and the government will stand behind every private sector initiative that helps bring in exports and dollars,” the minister said.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday directed authorities to take immediate steps to seize properties and assets of human traffickers, his office said, following the death of five Pakistani nationals in a migrant boat capsize off the southern Greek island of Gavdos last month.
The issue of illegal immigration to Europe and its consequences gained significant attention in Pakistan after last month’s incident, with the prime minister ordering “intensified efforts” against human traffickers in the country.
The boat tragedy, which occurred on Dec. 14, underscored the perilous journeys many migrants undertake due to conflicts around the world. In the case of Pakistani nationals, the movement is mostly driven by economic reasons, with many young individuals attempting to reach European shores in search of better financial prospects.
On Monday, Sharif presided over a meeting to discuss the progress of actions taken against human trafficking, legal proceedings against facilitators and legislative advancements to combat human smuggling.
“Severe legal action be taken against all human trafficking groups in the country so that they become an example for others,” Sharif was quoted as saying by his office.
“Immediate legal action be taken to confiscate properties and assets of human traffickers.”
The development follows the arrest of multiple suspects involved in last month’s boat tragedy in Greece as well as another major incident in 2023, in which hundreds of migrants, including 262 Pakistanis, had drowned when an overcrowded vessel traveling from Libya capsized and sank in international waters off the southwestern Greek coastal town of Pylos.
The prime minister ordered authorities to enhance prosecution for those involved in human trafficking and ensure strict punitive measures against its facilitators. He directed the Foreign Office take measures for swift extradition of Pakistanis involved in human trafficking abroad.
“The screening process at airports for individuals traveling abroad should be made more effective,” he said, asking the information and interior ministries to launch public awareness campaigns to encourage citizens to pursue only legal channels for overseas employment.
The prime minister also stressed the promotion of technical training institutes to provide certified and skilled workforce to international markets.