DRAFT — Punjab to Ban Hidden-Camera Pens, Glasses and Watches Over Privacy Fears

• Suggested slug: punjab-hidden-camera-spy-gadgets-ban
• Category: Tech
• Focus keyphrase: spy gadgets ban
• SEO title: Punjab Bans Spy Gadgets: Hidden-Camera Pens, Glasses
• Meta description: Punjab has announced a spy gadgets ban on hidden-camera pens, glasses and watches, citing privacy, harassment and blackmail complaints.
• Tags: spy gadgets, hidden cameras, Punjab, privacy, surveillance, smart glasses, LHC, home department
• Original element: own data point — frames covert recording devices as the offline side of the online threats Feature Pakistan has already covered (National CERT’s physical-security advisory and PTA’s scammer warnings), with internal links.
• Source: https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/19/punjab-bans-hidden-camera-pens-glasses-and-watches/ (ProPakistani, published 19 Oct 2026)
• Story date: 19 October 2026
• Image file: hourly-2132-punjab-hidden-camera-spy-gadgets-ban.webp
• Image title: spy gadgets ban Punjab hidden cameras
• Image alt: spy gadgets ban: hidden-camera glasses, watch and pen devices
• Image caption: Hidden-camera glasses, a watch and a pen with recording devices. Image: ProPakistani
• Image credit: Image: ProPakistani

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Punjab moves to ban hidden-camera pens, glasses and watches

The Punjab government has decided to prohibit items fitted with concealed cameras and recording devices, including pens, eyeglasses and watches, over fears of privacy violations and misuse of personal information. In a statement issued on Monday, the Home Department said the spy gadgets ban aims to protect citizens, particularly women and children, from covert surveillance.

The department warned that using, buying or selling such spying and covert electronic devices would invite strict legal action. It added that illegal use of these devices could result in severe penalties.

Complaints of harassment and blackmail behind the move

According to the Home Department, it has received complaints about hidden recording devices being used for illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmail. Officials said the volume and nature of these complaints prompted the decision to move toward a formal ban.

Punjab Home Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi told Dawn that a formal notification implementing the ban would be issued within a few days. He said the advance announcement gives people time to dispose of the prohibited items before the ban takes effect.

Lahore High Court hearing related petition

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court is hearing a public interest petition challenging the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses fitted with cameras and microphones. The petition raises concerns about privacy, personal dignity and national security.

The petitioner’s counsel told the court that Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses were available online and in shops in Lahore, even though Pakistan is not officially listed as a market for the product. The case highlights how easily recording-capable wearable devices reach local buyers without any checks.

Spy gadgets ban: the offline side of a familiar threat

Covert recording tools fit a wider pattern that Pakistani authorities have been flagging for months. This latest spy gadgets ban targets the physical side of a problem that online regulators are already fighting.

Earlier this year, the National Computer Emergency Response Team issued a physical-security advisory urging people to protect devices and personal spaces from tampering and unauthorised access. Separately, the PTA has repeatedly warned citizens about scammers who harvest personal information through social engineering. The regulator has also tightened rules for reporting illegal online content, giving people a channel to flag harmful material.

The theme is consistent. Whether the threat arrives through a phishing message, an overshared family photo, or a pen with a hidden lens, the risk is the same: personal information captured without consent and then used against its owner.

What happens next

The Home Department has advised anyone holding such devices to get rid of them ahead of the notification. Once the ban is formally in force, selling or using hidden-camera pens, glasses, watches and similar devices in Punjab could attract legal proceedings and heavy penalties.

The Lahore High Court’s hearing on smart glasses may add further pressure for rules at the federal level, especially around the import and sale of camera-fitted wearables.

Read the original report by ProPakistani for more details.

Frequently asked questions

What does the Punjab spy gadgets ban cover?

The ban will cover items fitted with concealed cameras and recording devices, including pens, eyeglasses and watches. The Home Department says the use, purchase and sale of such spying and covert electronic devices will invite strict legal action.

When will the ban take effect?

Punjab Home Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi said a formal notification would be issued within a few days. The advance announcement is meant to give people time to dispose of the prohibited items.

Why is the Lahore High Court involved?

The court is hearing a public interest petition against the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses with cameras and microphones, citing concerns about privacy, personal dignity and national security. Counsel told the court Meta’s AI-powered smart glasses were being sold in Lahore even though Pakistan is not an official market.

Who is most at risk from hidden recording devices?

The Home Department said the move aims to protect citizens, particularly women and children, from covert surveillance. It has received complaints of hidden recording devices being used for illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmail.