Pakistan's throttling of the internet threatens to tear nation apart

Even with $7bn IMF loan, transparency is needed -- not censorship

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A Pakistani waits to connect his mobile WhatsApp with a desktop as the nation's internet runs slow on Aug. 19. © AP

Farhan Bokhari is an Islamabad-based foreign correspondent who writes on Pakistan and its surrounding region.

As Pakistan braces for news on a critical $7 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, another deep issue simmers beneath the surface. While the country edges toward financial stability, the nation's internet has slowed to a crawl, symbolizing a government struggling to control more than just its economy.

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