The Punjab smart glasses ban took effect on Tuesday, when the provincial government prohibited the use and sale of camera-enabled smart glasses and miniature cameras disguised as everyday objects for a period of 30 days. The restriction was notified by the Punjab Home Department secretary under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, and applies with immediate effect across the province.
What the Punjab Smart Glasses Ban Prohibits
According to the order, no person may wear or operate camera-enabled smart glasses with hidden recording ability, or miniature cameras with recording ability disguised as everyday objects such as pens and keychains. The order also bars retailers, wholesale dealers, traders and distributors from selling or offering these devices for sale, whether online or over the counter.
The restriction carries defined exclusions. Laptops, handheld tablets, mobile phones and terminal equipment approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) fall outside its scope. Authorised law enforcement personnel are also exempt. The order will remain in force for 30 days unless the government withdraws it earlier.
Why the Government Acted
The order states that unrestricted use of camera-enabled smart glasses and disguised cameras in Punjab could pose a serious risk to public order and individual privacy. It singles out the integrity and dignity of women and children, the security of sensitive data and installations, and institutional integrity as areas of particular concern. The devices, it notes, are capable of capturing, processing and transmitting speech, images, videos and sound.
The order identifies airports, examination centres, secure government establishments, healthcare facilities, shopping malls, court premises and public places as locations of heightened risk. It further observes that the use of such devices creates an imminent apprehension of secret recording, breach of privacy and security, or unauthorised transmission of protected information. Hence, the government maintained that immediate preventive action was necessary to safeguard public safety and the dignity of persons, particularly women and children.
The Use of Section 144 in the Punjab Smart Glasses Ban
Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure empowers authorities to issue time-bound orders to prevent disorder or danger. Its use here explains the limited duration of the measure. Notably, the order is a temporary preventive step and not a permanent regulatory framework, and it can be withdrawn before the 30 days elapse. The ban followed a day after the Punjab government announced its intention to impose the restriction.
Pending Litigation Before the Lahore High Court
The order arrives against the backdrop of proceedings before the Lahore High Court (LHC). A public interest petition there challenges the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses fitted with cameras and microphones, citing threats to privacy, dignity and national security. Petitioner’s counsel has argued that such devices resemble ordinary eyewear yet can photograph, record and live-stream people without making the activity obvious. The petition invokes Articles 9 and 14 of the Constitution, which deal with liberty, dignity and privacy.
Counsel has also contended that Meta’s glasses are openly sold online and in shops in Lahore, even though the company has not officially listed Pakistan as a market. Meta has faced criticism over its AI-powered smart glasses, with critics using the term “pervert glasses”. At a recent hearing, the LHC directed the federal government to forward a summary on the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses to the federal cabinet.
Other petitions on the subject have also reached the court. In one, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum expressed displeasure at the failure of several government departments to file replies and summoned senior officials to appear in person.
What Comes Next
The Punjab smart glasses ban addresses sale and use within the province only, and it is limited to 30 days. Whether it is followed by a lasting regulatory regime will depend in part on the federal government’s response to the LHC’s direction and on the outcome of the pending petitions. For now, retailers in Punjab must stop offering camera-enabled smart glasses, and individuals must refrain from wearing or operating them. Consumers who own such devices should note that the order is framed around hidden recording capability, with phones, tablets, laptops and PTA-approved terminal equipment expressly excluded.
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