MANILA: The Philippines will extend a ban on travelers from India and nine other countries to the end of August because of concerns posed by the highly contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus, the presidential spokesperson said on Friday.
Authorities in the Philippines are scrambling to contain a jump in coronavirus cases to a four-month high, with infections staying above the 12,000 mark for a second straight day on Thursday, and hospitals in some areas nearing capacity.
The travel ban, which was first imposed on April 27, has been rolled over several times and expanded to include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the coronavirus task force to extend the travel restrictions from Aug. 16 to Aug. 31, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.
The Manila capital region, an urban sprawl of 16 cities that is home to 13 million people, remains under a strict lockdown to contain the spread of Delta, while the government ramps up its vaccination drive.
With about 11 percent of the country’s 110 million people fully immunized, millions still remain highly vulnerable to COVID-19, which has killed more than 29,500 in the Southeast Asian country.
As cases surge, more hospitals in the capital region have reported intensive care units, isolation beds and wards were nearing full capacity and some have had to refuse new patients because of a lack of beds and ventilators.
Philippines extends travel ban for Pakistan, nine others over Delta concerns
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Philippines extends travel ban for Pakistan, nine others over Delta concerns
- Ban includes India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, UAE, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia
- Authorities in the Philippines are scrambling to contain a jump in coronavirus cases to a four-month high
Pakistan says Indonesia’s Pertamina exploring cooperation in ‘vast untapped potential’ in minerals
- Islamabad is pitching its largely untapped mineral sector to foreign investors as a new pillar of economic recovery and industrial growth
- Jakarta is eyeing overseas mining partnerships through Pertamina to leverage its exploration expertise and secure strategic raw materials
ISLAMABAD: Indonesia has expressed interest in engaging in Pakistan’s largely untapped mineral sector, with Jakarta’s state-owned energy company Pertamina seen as a potential partner for exploration and mining cooperation, a statement from Pakistan’s Information Ministry said this week.
The engagement comes as Pakistan positions mining as a potential engine of long-term growth, following years of underinvestment and stalled projects, and as resource-rich Asian economies increasingly look overseas to secure supplies of critical minerals and diversify investment portfolios.
Government and industry estimates suggest Pakistan’s untapped mineral resources could be worth trillions of dollars, anchored by major copper-gold deposits such as Reko Diq, as well as coal, iron ore and emerging critical minerals. Meanwhile, Indonesia, one of the world’s leading producers of minerals such as nickel, coal and copper, has in recent years expanded the role of its state-owned firms in overseas energy and extractive ventures, driven by rising domestic demand, industrial policy linked to downstream processing and global competition for strategic resources.
Against this backdrop, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik met Indonesia’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Chandra Warsenanto Sukotjo, on Thursday to discuss cooperation with a particular focus on minerals and exploration, the information ministry said.
“Indonesia’s state-owned company, Pertamina, possesses extensive experience in exploration, and avenues for cooperation in exploration activities between the two countries could be explored,” the Indonesian ambassador said, according to the statement.
Malik welcomed Indonesia’s interest and assured full government support, highlighting what the statement described as Pakistan’s “vast untapped potential” in minerals and exploration. He encouraged Indonesian companies to partner with Pakistani firms on mutually beneficial projects.
The petroleum minister also formally invited Indonesia to participate in the Pakistan Minerals Investment Forum (PMIF) 2026, telling the ambassador that the upcoming event would be significantly larger than the previous two editions and aimed at attracting a wider pool of international investors.
Both sides agreed to continue engagement and explore concrete opportunities to deepen cooperation across minerals, exploration and energy, the statement said, framing the talks as part of broader efforts to strengthen Pakistan–Indonesia economic ties beyond traditional diplomatic and cultural links.
Pakistan holds significant reserves of copper, gold, coal and other minerals across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan, but officials say much of this potential remains underdeveloped due to legal disputes, infrastructure gaps and lack of foreign investment. In recent years, Islamabad has sought to change that by resolving long-running disputes, hosting international mineral investment forums, and courting partners from North America, the Gulf and Asia.
The government has placed particular emphasis on large-scale projects such as the Reko Diq copper-gold mine in Balochistan, while also encouraging smaller exploration and mining ventures through joint partnerships with foreign companies and state-owned enterprises.
