Retaliatory strike receding, Pakistan back at its old games

Now that the chances of an Indian retaliatory strike appearing remote in connection with Pathankot terror attack, Pakistan is back at the old game of demanding details on the one hand and mocking the New Delhi leadership on the other. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may have ordered an inquiry, to which Pakistan friend and master, the US, has given a wider berth. The Pakistani establishment is slowly giving the stock answer that neither Pakistan nor any of its citizens was involved in the terror attack. On the other hand, Jaishe Muhammad is celebrating the terror attack, mocking that such a big nation as India is wailing like a loser. He described the terror attack as the greatest event for him. Starting celebrations to mark Pathankot terror on Friday, Masood Azhar laughed away at India's so-called strengths. Jaishe also released a video on its website. Masood alleged that the Indian forces that were killing innocent Muslims in Kashmir were now paying for it through their nose. He said the terrorists had fulfilled their target of reaching near the Indian helicopters and tanks, and bravely fighting the Indian might. For 48 hours, the terrorists withstood the Indian forces without food or water. New Delhi could not realize this simple truth, he chided. Making these remarks, Masood Azhar went into raptures. He pointed out that the NSG Lt.-Col Niranjan and Commonwealth shooting Gold Medallist Fateh Singh both perished at the hands of `our terrorists.' However, Pakistan is aware Prime Minister Narendra Modi is different. When he just came to power in 2014, the Pakistanis made it a point not to provoke Modi by terror acts on the ground that he could act tough. How tough could Modi be remains to be seen in the face of provocations, prevarications and perfidies by Pakistan.