The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Data Center has officially achieved Uptime Institute’s Tier III Certification of Constructed Facility, marking a major milestone in Pakistan’s financial IT infrastructure. This certification underscores SBP’s commitment to resilience, operational excellence, and secure digital financial services, further strengthening the country’s banking sector.
The Tier III Certification was formally awarded on February 4, 2025, in a ceremony attended by key figures from Uptime Institute and CNS Engineering. Elie Al Chami, Senior Director – Middle East, and Christopher El Hage, Sales Director – UAE, Bahrain & Pakistan, presented the prestigious certification to SBP Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Mr. Asim Iqbal. The event also saw the presence of Najam Mian, CEO of CNS Engineering, whose firm played a crucial role in the execution of the project.
Acknowledging the achievement, SBP CTO Asim Iqbal highlighted the significance of this certification in enhancing the reliability and availability of financial services across Pakistan. He emphasized that attaining Tier III status aligns with SBP’s digital transformation strategy, ensuring a high-performance, secure, and uninterrupted financial ecosystem. Additionally, he credited CNS Engineering’s technical expertise and commitment to delivering a world-class facility that meets international data center standards.
Najam Mian, CEO of CNS Engineering, also expressed his pride in the project’s success. He stated that the SBP Data Center is more than just an infrastructure milestone—it represents a pioneering step towards digital innovation in Pakistan’s banking industry. The facility serves as a model for other institutions aiming to modernize their IT operations and strengthen their digital resilience.
This accomplishment positions SBP as the first institution in Pakistan to achieve a fully certified Tier III data center, setting a benchmark for high availability, fault tolerance, and business continuity in the country’s financial sector. Tier III certification ensures that the facility can undergo maintenance without disrupting critical operations, making it a robust and future-proof data center that can support Pakistan’s expanding digital economy.
Achieving Uptime Institute’s Tier III Certification is a critical step toward modernizing the country’s banking infrastructure. As financial institutions increasingly move toward cloud-based services, real-time transactions, and AI-driven financial solutions, having a secure, resilient, and compliant data center is essential. This milestone also reinforces Pakistan’s position in adopting global best practices for IT governance and data security, creating new opportunities for further digital advancements in the financial sector.
The recognition of SBP’s state-of-the-art facility serves as an inspiration for other organizations to invest in high-quality IT infrastructure and cloud computing capabilities. By achieving this certification, SBP has set a new industry standard, encouraging banks, fintech companies, and enterprise businesses to elevate their digital operations and cybersecurity frameworks.
This achievement is a testament to the dedication of SBP’s IT and Infrastructure teams, partners, and stakeholders who worked tirelessly to meet the rigorous international standards required for Tier III certification. With this recognition, SBP continues to drive innovation in Pakistan’s financial sector, ensuring that banking services remain secure, reliable, and adaptable in an increasingly digital world.
