Counterproductive policy

This letter refers to the editorial ‘Ctrl+Alt+Block?’ (November 17, 2024). I use VPNs on a daily basis for my official work. My friend orders food online for his parents in Pakistan from the US by using a VPN. He pays online. The restaurant is getting business, the delivery staff is getting paid and his parents are getting the food they like at their doorstep within 20 minutes of ordering from thousands of miles away. VPNs offer privacy and security for safe financial transactions and other transactions of a private nature and allow one to access a plethora of information which is sometimes not readily available by conventional means and restricted for some reason in some countries.

This information is not necessarily a risk to national security. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s software developers and IT professionals are utilising this crucial technology for innovation and development. Pakistani internet users are already frustrated with the slow speeds, making their work and tasks even more difficult. One has no clue why the people in power are taking such incomprehensible decisions.

Anas A Khan

Edmonton

Canada