- Suggested slug: punjab-smart-glasses-ban-section-144-order
- Category: National News
- Focus keyphrase: Punjab smart glasses ban
- SEO title: Punjab Smart Glasses Ban: Section 144 Order for 30 Days
- Meta description: Punjab has banned camera-enabled smart glasses and hidden-camera gadgets for 30 days under Section 144, citing privacy risks for women and children.
- Tags: Punjab, smart glasses, Section 144, privacy, hidden cameras, Meta AI glasses, Lahore High Court, surveillance
- Original element: builds on our 2026-10-19 coverage of the planned spy-gadget ban — this is the formal Section 144 order, plus the harassment/blackmail complaints reported by the PTI wire that prompted the move
- Source: Dawn, https://www.dawn.com/news/2038582/punjab-govt-bans-use-sale-of-camera-enabled-smart-glasses-devices-with-hidden-recording-ability-for-30-days (published 2026-10-21); PTI via Daily Excelsior on the complaints behind the ban
- Story date: Wednesday, 2026-10-21
- Image note: real photo of camera-enabled smart glasses; caption must carry “Image: Daily Excelsior”
Punjab Bans Camera-Enabled Smart Glasses for 30 Days Under Section 144
The Punjab government has imposed a 30-day ban on the use and sale of camera-enabled smart glasses and miniature cameras disguised as everyday objects. The Punjab smart glasses ban, notified through a Home Department order on Tuesday, covers the entire province with immediate effect.
The restriction was issued in exercise of powers under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. It bars any person from wearing or operating “camera-enabled smart glasses with hidden recording ability” or “miniature cameras with recording ability disguised as everyday objects such as pen, keychain, etc.”
The order excludes laptops, handheld tablets, mobile phones and terminal equipment approved by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority. It also restricts retailers, wholesale dealers, traders and distributors from selling or offering these devices for sale, “online or off the shelf”.
The Punjab smart glasses ban and the privacy of women and children
The Home Department said unrestricted use of these devices could pose a “serious risk” to public order, individual privacy, and the “integrity and dignity” of women and children. The order also flagged risks to the security of sensitive data and installations, and to institutional integrity.
Airports, examination centres, secure government establishments, healthcare facilities, shopping malls, court premises and public places were named as particular areas of risk. The order said these activities create an “imminent apprehension of secret recording, breach of privacy and security, or unauthorised transmission of protected information”.
A Home Department spokesperson said strict legal action would follow against the illegal use, purchase and sale of such “spy equipment”. According to the PTI wire, the department had received complaints involving the use of surveillance devices for illegal monitoring, harassment and blackmail — complaints that pushed the decision over the line.
Only authorised law enforcement personnel are exempt from the restriction. The ban will remain in force for 30 days unless withdrawn earlier.
LHC petition added pressure
The order follows judicial scrutiny of the issue. The Lahore High Court has been hearing a public-interest petition that challenges the unregulated import and sale of camera and microphone-equipped smart glasses, citing threats to people’s privacy, dignity and national security.
Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses have drawn particular criticism, with critics dubbing them “pervert glasses”. While the company has not officially listed Pakistan as a market, the petitioner’s counsel has contended that the glasses are openly sold online and in shops in Lahore.
Last week, the LHC directed the federal government to forward a summary to the federal cabinet on the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses. The Punjab government’s Section 144 order is the first concrete enforcement step to emerge from that pressure.
This formal order turns the planned spy-gadget ban we reported on October 19 into enforceable law. Readers following the cybersecurity push in universities and AI tools in daily life will recognise the wider tension between new technology and privacy that runs through these stories.
FAQs
What exactly has Punjab banned for 30 days?
The province has banned the wearing, use and sale of camera-enabled smart glasses with hidden recording ability, and miniature cameras disguised as everyday objects such as pens and keychains. The ban applies across Punjab and includes online sales.
Are mobile phones and laptops affected by the order?
No. The order specifically excludes laptops, handheld tablets, mobile phones and PTA-approved terminal equipment. It targets devices with hidden recording ability, not ordinary electronics.
Who is exempt from the ban?
Only authorised law enforcement personnel are exempt. Everyone else, including retailers and online sellers, must comply for the 30-day period.
Why did Punjab take this step now?
The Home Department cited serious risks to public order, privacy, the dignity of women and children, and the security of sensitive installations. It also received complaints about illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmail through such devices. The move follows an LHC public-interest petition on unregulated smart-glass imports.
