BlackBerry delays Pakistan shutdown

Talks on govt access continue

BlackBerry Ltd will delay shutting down its operations in Pakistan until Dec 30 as negotiations continue over government demands for access to users’ private data, the company and the telecoms authority said yesterday, reports the Dawn from Islamabad.
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had in July demanded BlackBerry give it access to its BlackBerry Enterprise Services, which encrypt data such as emails and instant messages, or shut it down by Nov 30.
The PTA yesterday suggested a one-month extension to that deadline, its chairman Syed Ismail Shah said. BlackBerry also confirmed the extension in a statement on its website.
“The level of access is still under discussion,” Shah said. “We can extend the deadline and they can continue to work until then.”
Pakistan has said it needs access to maintain its security, with police saying criminals use secure communications like those provided by BlackBerry. Analysts say the government is increasing electronic surveillance to target activists, politicians and journalists.
Earlier yesterday, BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer Marty Beard confirmed in a statement posted to the smartphone makers’ website that the company will not operate in Pakistan after Nov 30.
“Pakistan’s demand for open access to monitor a significant swath of our customers’ communications within its borders left us no choice but to exit the country entirely,” Beard had said.
The COO said the company made the move because “remaining in Pakistan would have meant forfeiting our commitment to protect our users’ privacy”.
Beard said: “In July, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority notified the country’s mobile phone operators that BlackBerry’s BES servers would no longer be allowed to operate in the country starting in December ‘for security reasons’.”
PTA spokesman Khurram Mehran told Dawn.com: “We are still in contact with BlackBerry Limited to find out a solution. BlackBerry was earlier asked to provide access to BlackBerry Enterprise Services (BES) till Nov 30, 2015.”
PTA officials earlier told Dawn.com that BlackBerry had been sent a notice in July 2015 regarding security concerns related to the company’s BES offering and that the company had been given a deadline of Nov 30 for discontinuation of the service.
They said that BlackBerry has been cooperating with security agencies of other countries, but despite requests from Pakistani authorities, they were not cooperating in accordance with the National Action Plan formulated after the Dec 16 Taliban attacks on Peshawar’s Army Public School.

BlackBerry delays Pakistan shutdown

Talks on govt access continue

BlackBerry Ltd will delay shutting down its operations in Pakistan until Dec 30 as negotiations continue over government demands for access to users private data, the company and the telecoms authority said yesterday, reports the Dawn from Islamabad. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) had in July demanded BlackBerry give it access to its BlackBerry Enterprise Services, which encrypt data such as emails and instant messages, or shut it down by Nov 30. The PTA yesterday suggested a one-month extension to that deadline, its chairman Syed Ismail Shah said. BlackBerry also confirmed the extension in a statement on its website. The level of access is still under discussion, Shah said. We can extend the deadline and they can continue to work until then. Pakistan has said it needs access to maintain its security, with police saying criminals use secure communications like those provided by BlackBerry. Analysts say the government is increasing electronic surveillance to target activists, politicians and journalists. Earlier yesterday, BlackBerry Chief Operating Officer Marty Beard confirmed in a statement posted to the smartphone makers website that the company will not operate in Pakistan after Nov 30. Pakistans demand for open access to monitor a significant swath of our customers communications within its borders left us no choice but to exit the country entirely, Beard had said. The COO said the company made the move because remaining in Pakistan would have meant forfeiting our commitment to protect our users privacy. Beard said: In July, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority notified the countrys mobile phone operators that BlackBerrys BES servers would no longer be allowed to operate in the country starting in December for security reasons. PTA spokesman Khurram Mehran told Dawn.com: We are still in contact with BlackBerry Limited to find out a solution. BlackBerry was earlier asked to provide access to BlackBerry Enterprise Services (BES) till Nov 30, 2015. PTA officials earlier told Dawn.com that BlackBerry had been sent a notice in July 2015 regarding security concerns related to the companys BES offering and that the company had been given a deadline of Nov 30 for discontinuation of the service. They said that BlackBerry has been cooperating with security agencies of other countries, but despite requests from Pakistani authorities, they were not cooperating in accordance with the National Action Plan formulated after the Dec 16 Taliban attacks on Peshawars Army Public School.