The National Security Committee (NSC)’s decision to cooperate with the Afghan government on the elimination of terror support networks in Afghanistan and prevention of cross-border attacks is a welcome move. Pakistan’s support to the Afghan-led peace process is critical and it goes without saying that peace in Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s own interest. Both Pakistan and Afghanistan are victims of terror and this menace cannot be completely uprooted until there is meaningful coordination and collaboration between the two countries. Sadly, the track record of Pak-Afghan cooperation has been poor. Leaders of both countries have been accusing each other of carrying out selective action against militants and playing double games. It is about time we addressed the issue at hand rather than indulge in more rhetoric. While Pakistan’s pledge to collaborate with Afghanistan is laudable, we should also come clean on allegations of differentiating between the good and bad Taliban. As a matter of fact, Pakistan’s policy vis-à-vis terrorism had been flawed in the past with the military only acting against groups that targeted Pakistan and sparing those that use the country’s soil to launch attacks in other countries. But we did see a shift in that long-held policy after the country’s leadership decided to form a new anti-terror plan in the wake of Army Public School (APS) attack. If Pakistan is acting against all groups of terrorists indiscriminately in Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, it ought to respond to the allegations of differentiating between ‘good and bad Taliban’ by highlighting as to what action was taken against groups such as the Haqqani network that were previously considered as the state’sstrategic assets. Afghanistan should also act responsibly and refrain from blaming Pakistan after every terror attack. The Afghan leadership should also address Pakistan’s grievances about supporting terrorists such as the groups that refer to themselves as the Pakistan Taliban. Both countries need to talk to each other on a regular basis. Pakistan and Afghanistan must realise that it is the time to unite against the common enemy. We have wasted enough time. * Published in Daily Times, August 17th 2017.