Pakistan presidential election on Tuesday, PTI candidate likely to win

Pakistani lawmakers are set to choose a new President on Tuesday, an election in which the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party's candidate Arif Alvi is expected to win as the Opposition parties failed to field a joint candidate.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday completed preparations for the election. Polling stations have been set up in all four provincial assemblies in addition to the National Assembly. Chief Election Commissioner Sardar Raza Khan will serve as the Returning Officer.

Outgoing President Mamnoon Hussain's tenure ends on September 8. He had declined for re-election to a second 5-year term.

Apart from Alvi, the Pakistan Peoples Party's Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan and Jamiat-e-Ulema (F) chief Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman are also in the race.

Alvi is a Karachi-based dentist-turned-politician, who reportedly stood by prime minister Imran Khan during his political career.

Uber's autorickshaw service back in India 2 years after it was shut down

Cab-hailing major Uber is re-launching its 'AUTO' service in India, almost two years after shutting down the offering in March 2016, starting with Bengaluru and Pune.

The US-based company, which is locked in an intense battle with homegrown player Ola, will allow customers to book autorickshaw rides through 'AUTO' option on its platform later this month in these two cities.

Ola, which also allows booking autorickshaw rides under 'Auto' service, had launched the offering in Bengaluru and Chennai in 2014. Ola Auto is currently operational across 73 cities with over 120,000 lakh autos associated with the company.

An Uber spokesperson said the company had "paused" the service "to see how that side of India's transport ecosystem evolves".

"Auto rickshaws are ubiquitous to mobility options in many Indian cities. To expand transportation choices for our riders, we are excited to launch AUTO in Bengaluru and Pune," the spokesperson told PTI.

In its previous attempt, Uber's AUTO offering was available in New Delhi, Coimbatore, Indore and Bhubaneshwar.

"We are re-launching AUTO starting with two cities. Gradual geographical expansion like this is common to how we operate in cities around the world and it is something that we are looking at very closely," the spokesperson said.
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Pakistan parliament forms body to probe allegations against Imran Khan

Pakistan parliament adopted a motion on Friday to form a committee which will probe the harassment allegations against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Imran Khan.

On Tuesday, National Assembly Member Ayesha Gulalai left the PTI claiming that women affiliated with the party faced constant harassment in the party. She accused the PTI chief of sending her lewd text messages.

The motion was presented by lawmaker Arifa Khalid Parvez and accepted by the house.

Speaking on the matter, Prime Minister Khaqan Abbasi said it affected the integrity of the house and the issue of harassment should be taken seriously.

He said the Inspector General of Punjab had been ordered to provide security to Gulalai, who was receiving threats following her disclosures against the PTI chief.

"Both the PTI chief and Gulalai are respectable personalities; therefore, a committee should be formed to probe the allegations," Abbasi said in his speech.

PTI lawmaker Shireen Mazari rejected the Prime Minister's suggestion and said that, instead of Imran Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Khuwaja Asif should be probed for abusing her in the house.
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