Blackberry Exits Pakistan Due To Government’s Data Requests

Blackberry is withdrawing its services and operations in Pakistan, and has ascribed ‘security concerns’ as the main cause. Earlier in July, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority sent out notifications to the country’s mobile phone operators stating that BlackBerry’s BES servers won’t be allowed to operate in the country starting December due to “security reasons”.

These “security reasons” have not been specified, but speculation suggests that it has to do with the fact that the Pakistani government requested for an unrestricted access to their customers’ information/data. Blackberry refused to consent to this request and has therefore, received the notification to shut down.

“The truth is that the Pakistani government wanted the ability to monitor all BlackBerry Enterprise Service traffic in the country, including every BES e-mail and BES BBM message; but BlackBerry will not comply with that sort of directive.” said BlackBerry.

However, the government had only requested for Blacberry’s BES servers, the company has decided to stick to its decision of exiting the country altogether.