Government sector employees could be getting a 7.5 per cent pay rise to push the national budget stalled by MPs, a report said.

The Shura Council is currently negotiating in secrecy with the Finance Ministry to get half of parliament’s 15 per cent demand, sources were quoted as saying in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

However, council financial and economic affairs committee chairman Khalid Al Maskati didn’t confirm or deny when asked by the GDN, saying that budget figures were still being revised.

“There is an agreement to negotiate with the government in secrecy and hopefully things will turn out right.

“Possibly, the budget will be discussed in an extraordinary session at the end of next week on the open floor.” – TradeArabia News Service