Pakistan Sets Roadmap for Nationwide Digital Payments
November 7, 2026
Pakistan and the United States mark the deployment of SBP’s new core banking network and data centre, strengthening financial infrastructure and digital banking security.
Pakistan has taken a significant step towards modernising its financial infrastructure with the deployment of a new core banking network and software-defined data centre at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), reflecting growing cooperation between Pakistan and the United States in advanced technology.
The deployment was marked at a ceremony attended by US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker, SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad, and Cisco Pakistan Country General Manager Kashif Ul-Haque at the central bank’s head office in Karachi.
According to an official press release, the multimillion-dollar project was awarded to US technology company Cisco Systems and involved establishing a secure, agile, and resilient software-defined data centre architecture. The infrastructure is designed to safeguard monetary stability and ensure reliable digital banking services across the country.
Speaking at the ceremony, Baker highlighted the importance of trusted and secure technology in supporting modern financial systems and strengthening commercial relations between the United States and Pakistan.
She described the central bank’s infrastructure as a national asset supporting economic stability and public confidence. She also noted that SBP’s partnership with American industry reflected its commitment to technology quality, security, and long-term reliability.
Baker reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to its longstanding commercial partnership with Pakistan and expressed readiness to connect Pakistani institutions with advanced American technological solutions.
Meanwhile, SBP Governor Jameel Ahmad and Cisco Pakistan Country General Manager Kashif Ul-Haque acknowledged the joint engineering efforts behind the project. Its implementation involved a complex infrastructure upgrade and migration process while ensuring uninterrupted central banking operations.
The successful deployment highlights the importance of modernising critical financial infrastructure to support secure and reliable digital banking services. The new architecture is intended to strengthen the technological foundation of Pakistan’s central banking system.
The development also reflects broader US-Pakistan efforts to encourage private-sector collaboration, promote secure digital infrastructure, and expand bilateral trade and investment in technology-related sectors.
