LHC issues notices to govt, PTA on public interest petition seeking smart glasses regulation
https://www.dawn.com/news/2033356/notices-on-plea-against-glasses-with-camera
On Monday, the Lahore High Court issued formal notices to the federal government, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), commerce ministry, and other relevant authorities in response to a public interest petition. The petitioner, Husnainul Abideen, filed the case, seeking restrictions on the unregulated import and sale of smart glasses equipped with cameras and microphones.
These devices, such as Ray-Ban Meta and similar models, pose significant threats to individuals' privacy, dignity, and national security, according to the petitioner.
Advocate Shahram Saqi represented the petitioner and argued that the smart glasses, while appearing like ordinary eyewear, possess capabilities to secretly record and stream images and videos of anyone within the wearer's line of sight. He emphasized that these features set the devices apart from mobile phones and violated Articles 9 and 14 of the Constitution, which guarantee liberty, dignity, and privacy to citizens.
Although Meta, the manufacturer of such smart glasses, has not officially recognized Pakistan as a market, the counsel asserted that these devices are openly available for purchase both online and in physical stores across Lahore, including the Hafeez Centre. He cited warnings from regulators in Ireland, Italy, and Germany, as well as bans on smart glasses in courts in England and Wales and New York as evidence supporting his arguments.
The counsel requested the court to declare unrestricted use of these smart glasses incompatible with the Constitution. Additionally, he sought directions from the court to prohibit the import of such devices, review PTA approvals, and ban their use in sensitive locations such as courts, airports, and government offices. The counsel also called for an end to customs clearance of consignments containing these smart glasses and urged the cybercrime agency to disclose any related complaints.
Following the arguments presented, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum assigned notices to the respondents, instructing them to submit their replies by October 8.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
