The gradually mounting political pressure on the ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), with the focus on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after his family’s name in the Panama Leaks has compelled the government to evolve different schemes to face the situation.

The pressure on the government started building a few months ago when the family of Nawaz Sharif was named in the Panama Leaks for owning offshore companies among more than 500 other Pakistani politicians and businessman.

An informal alliance of the main opposition parties in the parliament is trying to press the PML-N for agreeing on starting post-Panama-Leaks accountability process, which the government has been successfully diverting.

While outside the parliament, the leadership of main political parties -- Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) -- is openly taking on the government for political mileage. While some political parties are expecting prime minister’s resignation, others are calling for accountability, starting from the prime minister.

The PML-N, which has entered the fourth year of its government, is playing delaying tactics by seeking more time from the opposition parties.

"Engaging the opposition in talks to divert and diffuse the pressure; getting into prolonged legal battles; and dividing the opposition parties to weaken their strength is the main focus of the government," says a sitting minister of the PML-N, asking not to be named.

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"Till now, the PML-N has successfully handled the pressure. Resignation of the prime minister or calling for early elections are very much unlikely at this moment," he adds.

On the other hand, the weakened opposition parties that are timidly working on mass agitation are only helping the government to strengthen.

Another goal of the PML-N is to complete its development and energy projects at a high speed to show its performance to the voter. This would help the party in facing the public if there is a ‘verdict’ in the coming months that ends its rule.

"At the moment, the ruling PML-N seems to be in a wait-and-see position. The government is watching the moves of the opposition and will try to break any major alliance of the opposition parties," says Mazhar Abbas, a senior political analyst and journalist.

"The government will try to create cracks in the opposition alliance, which is already not united on different issues, including the demand of resignation of the prime minister," he adds.

Currently, the two major opposition parties -- PTI and PPP -- are taking a similar political posture but it seems that when it will come to street agitation only the PTI will remain in the camp. "It will be easy for the government to tackle an isolated PTI as compared to an alliance. However, the PTI will give a tough time to the government in Punjab," he believes.

He further adds that the PML-N will be under pressure if the PTI does not make any compromise with the government and eventually the army has to intervene. "In 2014, the PTI, key opposition party, had a long protest and clashed with the government on the issue of alleged rigging in the general election 2013, which was allegedly manipulated. However, the ruling party managed to diffuse that pressure".

Another strategy of the government may be to keep the army happy. Such steps may include offering or giving extension to the Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif, who is scheduled to be retired this November. This is despite the fact that the COAS, through his spokesperson, has categorically denied such intentions.

"The government seems stable and it should take on the opposition parties and their demands, including setting up commission on the Panama Leaks," says Imtiaz Alam, political analyst, adding, "Opposition parties are trying to create their constituency in Punjab and prolonging the issue for politics and nothing else."