ECC Restricts Imports of Camera Smart Glasses in Pakistan
Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) has approved restrictions on the import of camera-enabled smart glasses, citing concerns about their use in workplaces.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the committee at the Finance Division in Islamabad on Wednesday, chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb. The committee considered a summary submitted by the Commerce Division and approved the import restrictions.
The ECC also recommended that provincial governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory develop appropriate workplace regulations to govern the use of such devices. The recommendation signals that the federal decision is only the first step, and that detailed rules for offices, factories and other workplaces will follow at the provincial level.
No detailed import schedule, effective date or list of restricted models was published in the initial reports of the meeting. The absence of those details means importers, retailers and buyers will need to wait for the formal notification before they can judge exactly which devices are covered and how the restriction will be applied at the border.
Why camera smart glasses worry regulators
Camera smart glasses look like ordinary spectacles, but they can take photographs, record video and audio, and in some configurations transmit or livestream what they capture through a connected application. That combination is what sets them apart from a phone camera, which is visible when it is raised to take a picture.
In a workplace, the concern is straightforward. A device worn on the face can record colleagues, clients, documents or restricted areas without drawing attention. The same concern applies in schools, hospitals, courts and other places where privacy or security rules already limit recording.
Supporters of the technology point to hands-free uses, such as navigation, translation and assistance for people with visual impairments. Critics argue that those benefits do not remove the need for clear rules about when recording is allowed and when it must stop.
The ECC decision does not settle that wider debate. It focuses on two practical steps: controlling imports at the federal level and asking provinces to write workplace rules. How strict those workplace rules become will determine whether the devices can still be used in offices with consent and clear signage, or whether they face broader limits.
The Lahore High Court case that came first
The ECC decision follows a court case that raised the same concerns in October 2026. The Lahore High Court took up a petition against the unregulated sale of smart glasses fitted with cameras and microphones, and directed senior federal officials to appear in person.
The petition, reported by Business Recorder, argued that Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses were not officially sold in Pakistan, yet were openly available through online sellers, classified advertisements and physical outlets, including shops in Lahore. It raised privacy, surveillance and security risks linked to devices that can capture photographs, record video and audio, and transmit material through connected applications.
The petition also raised questions about the regulatory status of the devices, including whether they fall under the terminal equipment approval framework in the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996, and whether the federal government could restrict imports under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, 1950, and the Customs Act, 1969.
The court had not ruled on whether the glasses were lawful, and sellers had not yet been heard when the case was reported. The ECC decision now gives the executive side of the question a concrete answer on imports, even as the court case continues on the wider regulatory questions.
What happens next for buyers and sellers
For now, three questions remain open. First, the formal notification will show whether the restriction covers all camera-enabled smart glasses or only specified models and configurations. Second, provincial workplace regulations will show whether use at work is governed by consent, signage and restricted zones, or by wider prohibitions. Third, customs and commerce officials will need to explain how existing stock already in the market is treated.
The decision also fits a wider pattern of technology regulation in Pakistan, where regulators have moved to register and set rules for digital platforms operating in the country. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority recently registered BIGO LIVE and Likee in Pakistan under the 2021 social media rules, as reported in BIGO LIVE and Likee Are Now Officially Registered in Pakistan. The debate over search and artificial intelligence policy for students, covered in Google Defends Search Policy for Students After Backlash, shows the same tension between new technology and public rules.
Related coverage: Apple AI smart glasses are tipped for late 2027; the ECC has also asked where China-trained agriculture experts are placed; the cabinet ratified the Kuwait defence agreement; and the PTA registered BIGO LIVE and Likee in Pakistan.
Frequently asked questions
What did the ECC decide about smart glasses?
The ECC approved restrictions on the import of camera-enabled smart glasses, on a summary submitted by the Commerce Division, at a meeting chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb.
Does the decision ban smart glasses in Pakistan?
The reports of the meeting describe import restrictions and a recommendation for workplace regulations. They do not describe a ban on possession or private use, and the formal notification will clarify the exact scope.
What workplace rules are expected?
The ECC recommended that provincial governments and the Islamabad Capital Territory develop appropriate workplace regulations to govern the use of such devices. No provincial rules have been published yet.
Why are camera smart glasses a concern?
They can photograph, record video and audio, and transmit material through a connected application while being worn like ordinary glasses, which raises privacy and security concerns in workplaces and other restricted places.
What was the Lahore High Court petition about?
The October 2026 petition sought regulatory action against the unregulated sale of camera and microphone fitted smart glasses, citing privacy, surveillance and security risks and questioning their regulatory status under telecom, import and customs laws.
