Punjab bans camera smart glasses for 30 days under section 144, use and sale both covered

Punjab has banned the use and sale of camera-enabled smart glasses with hidden recording ability for 30 days, under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The Punjab Home Department issued the order on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, and it took effect at once, so the ban runs until about 19 November unless the government lifts it earlier. Dawn reported the order on Wednesday.

What the smart glasses ban covers

The order has two parts.

• Use: no one in Punjab may wear or operate camera-enabled smart glasses that can record secretly. The same applies to miniature recording cameras disguised as everyday objects, such as pens and keychains.
• Sale: retailers, wholesalers, traders and distributors may not sell or offer these devices, in shops or online.

The order names the places where the risk is highest: airports, examination centres, secure government buildings, hospitals and clinics, shopping malls, court premises and public places generally.

What is not banned

Mobile phones, laptops, handheld tablets and other terminal equipment approved by the PTA are outside the order. Authorised law enforcement personnel are exempt. In practice, that means the ban is aimed at wearable and disguised cameras, not at the phone in your pocket.

Why Punjab says it acted

The Home Department's order says unrestricted use of these devices poses a serious risk to public order, personal privacy, and the dignity of women and children in particular. It also cites the security of sensitive data and installations. According to Dawn, the order says the glasses can capture, process and transmit speech, images, video and sound, creating an "imminent apprehension of secret recording, breach of privacy and security, or unauthorised transmission of protected information".

Section 144 orders are temporary by design. They let a provincial government or district administration restrict an activity for a fixed period when it sees an immediate risk to public safety. Dawn's report does not say what penalty applies to a breach.

The Lahore High Court case

The ban comes while the Lahore High Court hears a public interest petition against the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses with cameras and microphones, on grounds of privacy, dignity and national security. Last week the court directed the federal government to forward a summary on the issue to the federal cabinet. The petitioner's counsel told the court that Meta's smart glasses are sold openly online and in Lahore shops, although Meta has not listed Pakistan as an official market.

What it means for you in Lahore and across Punjab

• If you own camera smart glasses, do not wear them in public in Punjab until the order lapses or is withdrawn, especially at airports, exam halls, hospitals, courts and malls.
• Shops and online sellers in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and other Punjab cities should take these products off sale for the 30 days.
• Phones are not affected. If you are buying a phone from abroad, check what PTA registration will cost with our PTA mobile tax calculator.

The order is valid for 30 days. Whether it is extended, or replaced by a federal decision through the cabinet, depends on the court case and the Home Department's next review.