Key Takeaways
- Punjab government to ban items like pens, eyeglasses and watches with hidden cameras.
- Strict legal action to be taken against use, purchase and sale of such devices.
- Lahore High Court challenges unregulated import and sale of camera and mic-equipped smart glasses.
The Punjab government has decided to ban objects equipped with hidden cameras and recording devices, including pens, eyeglasses, and watches, to protect citizens' privacy and personal information, particularly those of women and children.
A statement by the Punjab Home Department identified such objects as those used for spying and said the decision was taken to safeguard privacy and personal data.
Strict legal action will be taken against the use, purchase, and sale of these 'spying devices and covert electronic devices', with severe penalties for their illegal use.
The Punjab Home Secretary, Ahmad Javed Qazi, told Dawn that a formal notification for the implementation of the ban would be issued in a few days.
He explained that the announcement about the ban had been made prior to the issuance of the notification to give people some time to discard such items.
Amid concerns about the misuse of such devices, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has been seized with a public interest petition that challenges the unregulated import and sale of camera and mic-equipped smart glasses.
The petition cites threats to people's privacy, dignity, and national security, with Meta, in particular, facing pushback for its AI-powered smart glasses, dubbed 'pervert glasses' by critics.
While Meta has not officially listed Pakistan as a market, the petitioner's counsel in the case before the LHC has contended that its glasses are openly sold online and in shops in Lahore.
Taking up the plea on Thursday, the LHC directed the federal government to forward a summary to the federal cabinet regarding the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses.
