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New tax laws won’t affect 95% households: FBR FBR chief says Tax Policy Unit to continue data analysis to review impact of tax rates under broader economic picture ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Finance was Tuesday informed that the recent changes in the tax laws would not affect 95 percent households but the potential tax-dodgers, and the government will fetch additional Rs5 trillion within five years. The committee kick-started deliberations on Tax Laws Amendment Bill 2024 in the absence of the ruling party senators. However, Minister for Finance Mohammad Aurangzeb and Minister of State for Finance Ali Pervez Malik participated in the meeting. Senator Saleem Mandviwalla chaired the committee meeting at the Parliament House. Senator Mohsin Aziz and Shibli Faraz from the PTI participated. The chairman postponed the meeting till the next session of the panel. Briefing the committee, FBR Chairman Rashid Mahmood Langrial said the Tax Policy Unit will continue data analysis to review the impact of tax rates under the broader economic picture of the country. “We are not here to raise taxes or impose new taxes, but to resolve the issue where we were forced to increase the tax rates. The bill would resolve the issue of non-filing or under-filing of returns,” Langrial said. He clarified that 95 percent of the households would be not affected by the Tax Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024. The finance minister was confident that the bill would play an important role in taking the tax-to-GDP ratio from the existing 10.3 percent to 13 percent in the next five years. The tax-to GDP ratio of our neighboring country stands at 18 percent. There is a tax gap of approximately Rs5 trillion. The sales tax gap was Rs3 trillion during 2023-24 whereas the income tax gap stood at Rs2 trillion during the period, Langrial told the committee. He said out of 62,000 registered entities, only 42,000 were actively paying sales tax. Any failure to pay sales tax is more unethical compared to the income tax-evasion. The proposed amendments seek to improve the sales tax collection mechanisms, he added. Senator Syed Shibli Faraz also inquired about the potential impact of amendments on broadening the tax base. Responding, the FBR chairman predicted that the tax-to-GDP ratio could rise to approximately 13% over the next four to five years, driven by increased revenues from sales tax, income tax, and customs duties. Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb said credibility and trust gap existed which needed to be overcome. Under the FBR’s transformation plan, he said top priority was given to restoring confidence and trust in the tax authority. He said the element of corruption and harassment would abolish, tax base would broaden and revenue leakage as well as under-filing would curtail. “My sympathy is with the salaried class, as I am paying high tax like super tax/CVT on the salaried income,” Aurangzeb said. Rightsizing of all the ministries is also underway, he said. The finance minister said the government had interacted with associations, including retailers and wholesalers, and it was very clear that everyone had to contribute to the economy. “If we fail to collect taxes from the non-compliant sector, then what we will do in next budget? Will we again increase taxes on the already overburdened taxpayers like the manufacturing sector and salaried class?” he asked. Syed Shibli Faraz asked whether the bill should be classified as a money bill or an ordinary bill. Secretary Law and Justice Raja Naeem Akbar clarified that the bill should be treated as a money bill, citing Article 73(2) and Article 75 of the Constitution of Pakistan as the legal basis. Senator Syed Shibli Faraz emphasized the urgent need to restore public confidence in the tax authorities, asserting that no substantial progress could be made without winning the public trust. In response, the minister for finance outlined the government’s commitment to rebuilding this trust through the introduction of “People Process Technology” initiative. He reiterated the government’s empathy towards the salaried class and stressed that efforts were underway to create a fair balance between different socioeconomic classes.A Heartfelt Tribute to Norman Maroto

The downfall of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria signals a considerable shift in the Middle East. Türkiye, being a significant regional actor, has a unique position to influence the future of post-Assad Syria. Touched directly by the former civil war in Syria, which shares an 822-kilometer (510-mile) border with Türkiye, nowhere else will the repercussions of this civil war be so severely felt as in Türkiye. The country has hosted nearly 4 million Syrian refugees, has been affected by the threat of cross-border terrorism using the power vacuum in Syria, and faced a variety of economic impacts. Such factors may, according to Ankara’s interests, confirm the strategic importance of securing a stable, democratic and united Syria as a geographical counterpart and brother. As widely acknowledged, the fall of Assad has made Türkiye a critical actor in the country. Both with its support for the Syrian people displaced by the brutal regime and through its diplomatic and tactical relations with the opposition to the former Baath regime, Türkiye’s influence has grown significantly. However, Türkiye’s position in the post-Assad scenario faces a couple of challenges ahead. One of them is preventing terrorism. Ankara’s goal is to obstruct the de facto gains of terrorist groups, supported by the Western governments, that have become more powerful in northeastern Syria due to the power vacuum created by the civil war. Türkiye should focus on preventing these groups from disturbing the balance and security that has emerged after the fall of the old regime. Another priority of Türkiye is prioritizing border stability. A secure border would minimize security threats and allow people to return to their country freely and safely. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emphasized that Türkiye does not intend to send Syrians away by force, as it has not done so over the last 14 years. Instead, a strategy is being drawn up to support the planned return of Syrian refugees alongside the establishment of the necessary infrastructure and democratic system. A path toward inclusive governance should be paved. A democratic, participatory and representative system in Syria serves Türkiye’s long-term interests in peace and stability in the region and enhances its position as a role model. Ensuring the protection of freedom of thought and freedom of organization in Syria and involving all social groups in establishing the new regime’s mechanisms will be critical in rebuilding and healing this ancient Arab nation. The establishment of democratic development and the healing of the economic and social wounds caused by the brutal Assad regime are among the main challenges facing the new Syria. The success of the Syrian people offers unique opportunities but also considerable challenges. In this regard, Türkiye has several channels through which it can contribute to the democratic renovation of Syria. Türkiye has played a major role in supporting the legitimate opposition groups and participating in the Syrian peace talks, including the Astana Process with Russia and Iran. After the fall of Assad’s government, Türkiye aims to shift its diplomatic activism toward supporting international bodies involved in constitution drafting and political transition. Its influence over opposition groups provides Türkiye with a unique position to mediate between different factions and support peacebuilding. As President-elect Donald Trump has highlighted, Türkiye is in a position to hold the keys to the new Syria. Another significant role for Türkiye would be in Syria’s economic rehabilitation. With nearly half of its population displaced, about 20% of its housing stock damaged and its currency seriously devalued, Syria requires a comprehensive rebuilding strategy. Some analysts estimate that rehabilitation could cost up to $400 billion. Türkiye’s historical and strategic relations with the new regime, as well as its practical experience in managing one of the largest populations of refugees in the world, will provide valuable knowledge for facilitating the safe and voluntary return of Syrian refugees. Turkish companies and financial institutions could help rebuild infrastructure, including transportation networks and energy lines, as Syria’s economy recovers to pre-conflict levels of stability. The new Syrian leadership is not entirely inexperienced. In Idlib and Afrin provinces, the opposition has managed to govern a population of 5 to 8 million and establish a relatively stable social ground for people. However, they need expensive support in capacity building and technical assistance to manage a country as vast as Syria. Türkiye can share its experience in democratic institutions, governance frameworks and political pluralism with Syria in transition. Capacity-building programs for civil servants, legal experts and local governance actors would contribute significantly to establishing functional and accountable institutions. Removing the cultural residue of the Assad regime from institutions, bureaucrats and political actors will be critical in this regard. It is clear that a prosperous new Syria would benefit the entire region. Türkiye could provide Syria with access to regional and global markets for trade, investment and economic partnerships. Additionally, Türkiye’s financial institutions are crucial in terms of providing development grants and credit for the new Syria. Emphasizing cross-border trade zones and joint ventures could rapidly accelerate Syria’s economic recovery. Nationalizing the Raqqa-based petroleum production, which was exploited by terrorist organizations during the civil war, is also critical. On the other hand, while the recent process has increased Türkiye's power in the region and created important opportunities for Syria, it also presents certain challenges. Türkiye faces several impediments in contributing to the post-Assad transition of Syria, including the following: Potential tensions, especially with the claims of the PKK/YPG terrorist organization for autonomy, could strain Türkiye’s efforts. It is crucial to resolve these tensions while maintaining a single, united Syrian state. Securing the Kurdish citizens of Syria from the terrorist organization, which has established an oppressive regime in northeastern Syria, is the key. While adding Kurdish citizens to the Syrian political process is important, excluding the territorial claims of terror leaders from the new Syria is essential. The differing agendas of Israel, Russia, Iran and Western powers in Syria may hinder the establishment of a new Syrian state. The newly established government must navigate this complex landscape, requiring Türkiye to establish a finely tuned diplomatic process to protect its regional gains. Türkiye's internal political opposition to its Syria policy limits engagement in the region. To build a broader consensus, the government must enhance communication with the opposition and encourage all political actors to take positions in Türkiye’s national interest. Türkiye must adopt an inclusive and pluralistic approach to maximize its support for Syria’s democratization efforts. In this regard, strengthening multilateral engagement is crucial. Partnering with international actors, particularly the United Nations, the European Union and the Arab League, will enhance Türkiye’s efforts in supporting Syria’s rehabilitation and political transition. Building partnerships with local stakeholders is another critical area. Fostering collaboration with civil society organizations, rebuilding democratic nongovental organizations (NGOs) that were wiped out by the Assad regime and forging strategic relationships with grassroots organizations, including key tribes, will strengthen local governance. It is important to emphasize that stability in the region is essential for Türkiye’s interests. A stable Syria, strongly supported by Türkiye, could open diplomatic and strategic alliances for the country across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. Establishing a collaborative regional framework to address common security concerns would also limit the warmongering of Israel in the region. Due to its geographic proximity, historical ties, internal resources and diplomatic influence, Türkiye is a vital player in shaping Syria’s future. Without question, Türkiye, alongside Qatar emerged as a winner with the end of the civil war, favoring the democratic opposition forces. Despite many challenges ahead, Türkiye’s active and balanced foreign policy has the potential to significantly contribute to the creation of a stable, economically sound neighbor, thereby improving the broader region. The success of these efforts depends on how well Türkiye can navigate specific dynamics, balance competing interests and ultimately uphold democratic principles in the region.President Joe Biden delivered a short address from the White House on Sunday, claiming credit for the toppling of the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad, who was ousted by rebels after a long and brutal reign lasting decades. Biden claimed that a combination of U.S. policies — isolating Assad; tying Russia down in Ukraine; and allowing Israel freedom of action against Iran and its Hezbollah proxy — weakened the regime and left it without defenders. Biden said: Over the past four years, my administration pursued a clear, principled policy towards Syria. First, we made clear from the start that sanctions on Assad would remain in place unless he engaged seriously in a political process to end the civil war, as outlined in the U.N. security council resolution that passed in 2015. But Assad refused. So we carried out a comprehensive sanctions program against him and all those responsible for atrocities against the Syrian people. Second, we maintained our military presence in Syria, our counter ISIS, to counter the support of local partners as well on the ground, their partners, never ceding an inch of territory, taking out leaders of ISIS, ensuring that ISIS can never establish a safe haven there again. Third, we supported Israel’s freedom of action against Iranian networks in Syria and against actors aligned with Iran, transporting lethal aid to Lebanon — and, when necessary, ordered the use of military force against Iranian networks to protect U.S. forces. Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East. Through this combination of support from our partners sanctions, diplomacy, and targeted military force when necessary, we now see new opportunities opening up for the people of Syria and for the entire region. Biden left out the fact that President Barack Obama had sought to cultivate relations with the Assad regime, and ignored Assad’s use of chemical weapons despite drawing a “red line” in 2012. Both Obama and Biden also sought specifically to establish a new balance of power in the Middle East that favored a stronger Iran, despite its role in Syria. Furthermore, Biden did not give Israel freedom of action against Iran, but instead insisted on Israeli restraint. Biden spoke hopefully — and perhaps wishfully — about beginning a process of drafting a Syrian constitution, with the input of various different groups within the country, coupled with international aid to rebuild the war-torn nation. Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). He is the author of The Agenda: What Trump Should Do in His First 100 Days , available for pre-order on Amazon. He is also the author of The Trumpian Virtues: The Lessons and Legacy of Donald Trump’s Presidency , now available on Audible. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak .

Join Sam McKewon and Amie Just as they dive deep into the Husker sports scene — rationalizing, analyzing, and summarizing as only they can! In the latest episode of The Showdown, Sam McKewon and Amie Just break down a jam-packed week for Nebraska Athletics. The open with the football game between Nebraska and Wisconsin, how the Huskers' can come out victorious in the matchup and the weird comments from Luke Fickell about who will be the Badgers' play caller. They move onto the doubleheader between both Nebraska and Creighton basketball teams, including the loss of Natalie Potts and how Creighton's difficult schedule can help the Husker women. The duo also talk the Husker men's chances against the Bluejays and Ryan Kalkbrenner. They close out with Nebraska volleyball's upcoming match against Wisconsin on Senior Day and the looming match against Penn State. Subscribe to HuskerExtra.comThis week marks the 10th Christmas Canadians have endured under Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government — 10 years of our Dec. 25-born prime minister acting as if he’s our very own personal Jesus, without the humility, common sense, or moral clarity his birthday might suggest. From the get-go, Trudeau’s been a means to an end for Liberal party power — a famous name, flowing hair, a convenient professionally-good-looking object many lonely Canadian wives cast their adoring gazes upon — but otherwise, intellectually and morally vacuous. Thankfully, there is a solution. Pierre Poilievre will bring the common sense and moral clarity Canada so desperately needs. On Christmas eve, Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Opposition, tweeted out a promise to Canadians and we should hold him to it: “I will defund wokism and fight antisemitism. And stand with our friends in Israel against terror.” It included a link to a statement from a telephone interview he gave last week to the Winnipeg Jewish Review . I will defund wokism and fight antisemitism. And stand with our friends in Israel against terror. https://t.co/hTEdzAPP14 In the statement , Poilievre did not mince words. He promised to “defund” “all of those with a woke anti-Semitic agenda.” His promise applies to “everything that the federal government controls,” and anyone “imposing a radical, terrifying, toxic ideology.” He promised to “fire government officials throughout (his) administration who are imposing a toxic woke ideology.” This would include universities, museums, and government-funded projects. “The (Canadian Museum of Human Rights) will be there to honour our history and to tell our stories, not to impose toxic woke ideologies against our people,” he assured the Winnipeg Jewish Review. Poilievre seems to inherently understand that a self-effacing people are not a people at all. Sadly, the same common sense cannot be attributed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who constantly apologizes for Canada and Canadians, whether it’s warranted to do so or not. As prime minister, Justin Trudeau will forever be known as Canada’s constant underminer. Poilievre, on the other hand, pointed out that he and his government would never fund antisemites, like Trudeau’s Liberals did when they awarded Laith Marouf’s advocacy group with more than $133,000, supposedly to combat racism. The total amount granted to Marouf was about $500,000. It was the same Laith Marouf who shamelessly took to social media to post : “You know all those loud mouthed bags of human feces, a.k.a. the Jewish White Supremacists; when we liberate Palestine and they have to go back to where they come from, they will return to being low voiced bitches of thier (sic) Christian/Secular White Supremacist Masters” and who boasted he’d form “Zionist-Hunter squads” among other colourful threats. Marouf was eventually fired from his government contract, but remained employed for a whole month after Diversity and Inclusion Minister Ahmed Hussen had been aware of Marouf’s extremism. You see, news of his extremism hadn’t hit the news yet. And no one appears to have been fired for hiring Marouf in the first place — a move Canadians can be confident Poilievre has the common sense and moral clarity to make. Other moral-clarity illustrating promises Poilievre made during his interview include: •Lifting the nonsensical ban on the sale of military equipment to Israel, •Reversing the Liberal government’s promise to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a war criminal, if he were to land on Canadian soil, based on the International Criminal Court’s ridiculous charge he was starving civilians as a method of warfare, while aid trucks were pouring into Gaza and being captured by Hamas, •And defunding UNRWA, which the Liberals disingenuously pretended to pause, and whose schools are known to indoctrinate Palestinian children to murder Jews and whose members are becoming harder and harder to distinguish from Hamas itself. Poilievre also promised to make Canada safer, by performing the much-needed security screening our current government apparently doesn’t deem necessary or finds boring. “We will also screen incoming immigrants” in an effort to ensure they “have no terrorist links,” he said on the call. He followed up with a promise to address what we’ve been seeing in our streets since October 7: “there will be a crackdown on all terrorist networks that Trudeau has allowed on our streets.” To accomplish this, he told Winnipeg Jewish Review that laws will be passed and serious consequences will be doled out. Tackling radicalism in the streets will no doubt prove tricky to pull off. But this strong message, one we could never expect from our current mealy-mouthed leader, will no doubt be appreciated by those tired and frightened by chants for “intifada” in our streets. It will take a common sense leader with moral clarity to, without apologies, return Canada to its rightful status of nation and to begin its redefinition. Because, if we as a nation fail to define ourselves, someone else, will happily do it for us. National Post tnewman@postmedia.com X: @TLNewmanMTL

The Showdown: Jam-packed Nebraska week starts with in-state rivalry doubleheaderMexico president hails 'excellent' Trump talks after US tariff threat

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard scored 14 of his team-high 25 points in the final 10 minutes and Mississippi State pulled away late to post a 91-84 win over a road-weary Prairie View A&M on Sunday afternoon. Prairie View A&M, playing its eighth straight road game after a season-opening win over a non-NCAA opponent, will not play its second home game until it hosts Grambling in the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener January 4. The Panthers have surrendered 100 points or more in three games and opponents have topped 90 points in seven of their eight road losses. Mississippi State (8-1), fresh off a dominating performance in a 90-57 win over No. 18 Pitt in the SEC/ACC Men's Challenge, got all it could handle from the Panthers. The teams were tied at the break at 44-44 and Tanahj Pettway hit from deep to give Prairie View the lead, 65-64 midway through the second half. The Bulldogs responded with a 16-2 run kick-started by a pair of Josh Hubbard layups and a Claudell Harris Jr., 3 and capped by a Hubbard 3 and a Jordan Tillmon layup to take an 80-68 lead with under five minutes to play. Hubbard hit 4 of 10 from beyond the arc and had three assists and a pair of steals. Harris came off the bench to hit 3 of 6 from deep to add 21 points. Shawn Jones Jr. scored 11 points, Michael Nwoko scored 10 points and grabbed 10 boards and RJ Melendez had 10 points. Nick Anderson led the Panthers with 21 points and four assists. Pettway hit 4 of 5 from deep and finished with 20 points while Marcel Bryant added 19 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball