The Punjab government decided on Monday to ban objects equipped with hidden cameras and recording devices, including pens, eyeglasses and watches.

A statement by the Punjab Home Department identified such objects as those “used for spying” and said the decision was taken to protect the citizens’ privacy and personal information, particularly those of women and children.

The statement said “strict legal action” would be taken against the use, purchase and sale of “spying devices and covert electronic devices”, further warning that the “illegal use” of objects equipped with hidden cameras would result in “severe penalties”.

The statement also mentioned that complaints had been received about the use of “spying devices” for “illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmailing”.

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 also been seized with a public interest petition that challenges the unregulated import and sale of camera and mic-equipped smart glasses, citing threats to people’s privacy, dignity and national security.

Meta in particular has faced pushback for its AI-powered smart glasses, with critics dubbing the eyewear as “pervert glasses”. And while it 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.