KARACHI: Pakistan’s central bank has completed a multimillion-dollar upgrade of its digital infrastructure using technology supplied by US firm Cisco, the US Embassy said on Friday, in a move aimed at strengthening the security and reliability of the country’s financial systems.

The project reflects growing commercial cooperation between Islamabad and Washington, as Pakistan seeks to expand trade and investment ties with the United States beyond traditional sectors. The upgrade is also intended to strengthen the resilience of Pakistan’s financial infrastructure as banking services become increasingly dependent on secure digital systems.

“The central bank’s infrastructure is a vital national trust, which is central to the country’s economic stability and public confidence,” US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker said at a ceremony at the State Bank of Pakistan’s head office in Karachi, according to the statement.

She said the bank’s decision to rely on American industry and technology was a step toward quality, security and long-term sustainability, adding that Washington was ready to continue connecting Pakistani institutions with American innovation.

The embassy said the Cisco project involved a complex installation and data migration process that was completed without disrupting the central bank’s daily operations.

State Bank Governor Jameel Ahmad and Cisco Pakistan’s Country General Manager Kashif Ul Haq praised the joint engineering teams responsible for the upgrade, which the embassy said reflected US commitment to promoting secure digital infrastructure, encouraging private-sector collaboration and strengthening bilateral trade and investment ties.