Punjab bans smart glasses and hidden-camera devices over privacy concerns

The Punjab government moves to criminalize spy equipment after complaints of surveillance, harassment and blackmail

The Punjab government has banned smart glasses, camera-fitted pens, watches and other concealed recording devices, citing a surge in complaints of illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmail targeting citizens — with particular concern for the safety of women and children.

The Home Department announced the decision on Monday, describing it as a necessary step to protect citizens’ privacy and personal information. A departmental spokesperson confirmed that strict legal action would be taken against anyone involved in the use, purchase or sale of spying equipment and hidden electronic devices.

A Pattern of Abuse

The ban follows weeks of mounting complaints about the misuse of commercially available devices equipped with concealed cameras and microphones. Such equipment — sold openly in shops across Pakistan — can record individuals without their knowledge, and has reportedly been used in cases of harassment and blackmail.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari addressed the issue directly, questioning who had given people the authority to record and release content at will. She said recording others without consent had become a normalized habit and called for accountability.

Courts Had Already Taken Notice

The government’s move comes after the Lahore High Court began hearing a petition filed by a citizen last month challenging the unregulated sale of smart glasses. The petitioner argued that commercial interests and user convenience could not override the constitutional right to privacy for people who may be recorded without consent.

Last week, the court asked the government directly whether it knew smart glasses were being sold in shops and what steps it had taken in response. Monday’s announcement from the Home Department appears to be, at least in part, a response to that judicial scrutiny.

What Is Now Banned

The ban covers smart glasses, camera-embedded pens, watches, and any other everyday item fitted with hidden recording capability. Strict penalties have been announced for misuse. The Home Department said the measure also addresses broader concerns about the unregulated import and commercial sale of such devices across Pakistan.

Why It Matters

Pakistan has no comprehensive data protection or surveillance law. The proliferation of miniaturized recording technology—much of it imported without regulatory oversight—has created a gap that neither law enforcement nor the courts were equipped to address. Punjab’s ban is among the first concrete regulatory responses to that gap.

Whether it can be enforced is a separate question. Hidden-camera devices remain widely available through online marketplaces and informal retail channels, and monitoring their sale and use will require coordination well beyond a departmental announcement.

For now, the province has drawn a line. The harder work is making it hold.

The Home Department did not specify an enforcement timeline or detail the penalties that would apply.