The Punjab government has decided to impose a complete ban on spy devices, including pens, glasses and watches fitted with hidden cameras or recording equipment, the provincial Home Department said on Monday. The department said the decision is meant to protect citizens' privacy and personal information, with particular attention to the safety of women and children. The Punjab spy device ban also covers the use, purchase and sale of covert electronic equipment, the department added.
What the Home Department announced
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, the department said strict legal action would be taken against anyone who uses, buys or sells spying equipment and concealed electronic gadgets. It said the decision followed complaints of illegal surveillance, harassment and blackmail carried out through such devices. The Home Department, which handles law and order matters for the province, said the government remained committed to protecting citizens' fundamental rights and stopping technology from being misused to violate personal privacy.
The public has been advised that everyday items with hidden cameras or recording devices could attract strict penalties if they are used illegally. The glasses, pens and watches named in the statement were given as examples of the kind of items covered, not as a complete list. According to the statement, the ban would apply to ordinary-use items when they are used for unlawful surveillance. The government has warned that such misuse will be punished under the law.
What is still unclear
The statement did not say when the Punjab spy device ban would take effect. It describes the step as a decision to impose a ban, but at one point it refers to a proposed ban, so the legal status will depend on the formal notification. Punjab Home Secretary Ahmad Javed Qazi said authorities will issue a formal notification, which is the document that will set out the rules in detail.
Until that notification is issued, the exact scope of the ban and the penalties it carries remain to be defined. The statement also did not list specific punishments, only strict legal action. Readers should treat the announcement as a government decision that is still being put into formal rules.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Punjab hukumat ne chupke camera wale qalam, ainak aur ghari jaise spy devices par pabandi ka faisla kiya hai. Home Department ke mutabiq in cheezon ka ghair qanooni istemal, khareed aur farokht par sakht qanooni karwai hogi. Abhi yeh wazeh nahi ki pabandi kab se lagu hogi aur formal notification aana baqi hai. Aam log apni privacy ki hifazat ke liye is khabar par nazar rakhein.
