SBP Highlights Hybrid Cloud as Essential for Pakistan’s Digital Financial System.
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The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) is actively working to expand and strengthen cloud infrastructure to accelerate the digitalization of the country’s financial ecosystem and broader digital economy.
Speaking at the 18th International Information Security Conference organized by Total Communications in Karachi, Ahmed Saeed, Additional Director at SBP, emphasized that digital transformation in the banking sector is inextricably linked to modern cloud infrastructure.
Hybrid Cloud Model for Financial Data Sovereignty
Addressing a panel discussion titled ‘Critical Data on Foreign Clouds: Sovereignty, Sabotage, and the Kill-Switch Question’, Saeed noted that the SBP’s existing cloud framework advises banks to retain material and sensitive information within private clouds housed inside Pakistan.
He highlighted the hybrid cloud model as the most suitable path forward for Pakistan’s evolving infrastructure, combining the security and data control of private clouds with the scalability of public clouds.
- Data Control & Sovereignty: Enables financial institutions to maintain strict control over critical customer data.
- Operational Performance Challenges: Navigating the shift to hybrid models requires overcoming key hurdles, particularly around data confidentiality and ensuring cross-environment security visibility.
Strengthening Cybersecurity & AI Automation
Industry leaders at the conference also underscored the rising importance of automated cybersecurity safeguards as digital payments expand rapidly across Pakistan.
- Banking Sector Readiness: Muneer Kamal, CEO and Secretary General of the Pakistan Banks Association (PBA), reaffirmed that the central bank and commercial banks are continuously enhancing cybersecurity frameworks to support the transition toward a cashless economy. He added that ample financial liquidity is available to support private sector lending as economic growth accelerates.
- AI-Driven SOC Monitoring: Asher Faisel Khan, CEO of Commtel Systems LLC, highlighted that Security Operations Centers (SOCs) are moving toward AI-powered automation, with nearly 95% of cybersecurity monitoring and response tasks now handled autonomously without human intervention.
The single-day conference also featured in-depth discussions on autonomous AI responses in cybersecurity and governance strategies aimed at securing AI technologies without hindering organizational productivity.
