IN a tech event this year, I heard a surprising thing.

Some of the designs of Trump`s campaign were made by someone in Hyderabad. There was a round of applause at that statement but perhaps it is not really surprising. A lot of companies in the US outsource to Pakistan and sell tech services without the made-in-Pakistan label.

And it works for both parties.

Pakistanis get precious dollars, the foreign clients get quality cheap work.

Similarly, there is anecdotal evidence of women empowerment by being Alibaba resellers or selling handicrafts. For women with limited education but access to a smartphone and connectivity, the World Wide Web can be means for supplementing household income.Research from Pakistan`s Freelancer Association indicates that about half of all freelancers in Pakistan make more than minimum wage. Given the country`s informal sector and seth culture where even minimum wage is not paid, freelancing is the window to earn a respectable livelihood.In a world where ChatGPT`s advent has helped add $8tr to the market value of US`s top six tech firms, the lack of continued access to whatsapp is laughably sad. Where countries prepare and invest for the next era of AI, we strive to make the case for continuous connectivity. •