By Katharine Houreld
ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (Reuters) - BlackBerry Ltd BB.TO 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
on Monday.
The state-run 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 on Monday then 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.
(Editing by Miral Fahmy)