NOWSHERA: Frustrated by what he claimed was lack of seriousness and response from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Maulana Samiul Haq said on Wednesday he was detaching himself from the peace process with Pakistani militants.

In a statement, the Maulana from Akora Khattak said that he had agreed to initiate the peace process following his meeting with the prime minister last month to prevent the loss of innocent lives.

He claimed that within two days of his initiating the process and contacts, he had received from the militants a positive and encouraging response for a “strong, purposeful and sustainable” dialogue.

Samiul Haq said he had communicated the militants’ response to the prime minister and waited for further course of action.

“Regrettably, despite repeated contacts, through email[s] and a communication hand-delivered through a responsible officer, there was complete hush,” the maulana, known as the father of the Taliban, said.

The chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam said he avoided releasing the contents of the letter sent to the prime minister to preempt any internal and external pressure. In the meanwhile, he added, he received a message that two representatives had been named to get in touch with him on behalf of the federal government.

“On the same day, I called for a ceasefire,” he pointed out. “But the very next day, all of a sudden bombing began in North Waziristan, Tirah and the tribal areas.”

Certainly the loss suffered by army jawans is also a national tragedy. Both sides are in a state of war, innocent citizens and soldiers are dying, yet launching of military operation is not the answer, he said.

In such circumstances, the maulana said, he wanted to detach himself from the negotiating process.