SWABI/PESHAWAR, Nov 2: Various political leaders on Saturday feared the killing of local Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud in a US drone attack could derail peace process.

They were speaking to reporters during the marriage function of former ISI officer Major (retired) Mohammad Amir`s son, Mohammad Ammar, here.

Qaumi Watan Party chairman Aftab Sherpao said that certain unpleasant events had occurred before the start of peace dialogue between the government and the Taliban but the two sides handled the situation sensibly.

He said that there were good chances of peace being restored in the country in general and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining tribal region in particular as the government had declared the start of its dialogue with the Taliban for the purpose, but the Taliban leader`s killing had shattered the peace process.

`The killing of Hakeemullah Mehsud in a drone attack is a great setback for the government-Taliban negotiations. It has upset the entire peace process and the negotiators as well. It is not clear how the government will handle the situation, now, he said.

The QWP chairman said the two drone strikes in tribal areas before the prime minister`s return from official visit to Washington had made it clear that the Obama administration didn`t heed Pakistan`s demand that such strikes be stopped for being counterproductive.

He said Pakistanis had developed the suspicion that the US was opposed to the Pakistani government-Taliban dialogue.

Mr Sherpao said the Taliban leader`s killing would fuel anti-American sentiments in Pakistan.

He said the US drone attacks were a violation of Pakistan`s sovereignty and it was need of the hour to stop it without further waste of time.

The QWP chairman said if Afghanistan and the US signed bilateral security agreement, then the move would have the worst repercussions for countries in the region, especially Pakistan.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senior Central Vice President Engineer Amir Muqam said the government didn`t want more bloodshed in the country and there-fore, it first engaged political parties for consensus on how to restore peace and then decided to begin dialogue with the Taliban.

He said the killing of the Taliban leader had limited the prospects of the government-Taliban negotiations.

`We advocate peace and talks are the only way to achieve it,` he said, adding that peace was the name of progress, prosperity and development.

Former PML-N central general secretary Saranjam Khan said, `If you ask a threeyear-old child, even he would tell you what really the Americans want. They (Americans) are using drones to disrupt peace process in Pakistan.

Former information minister Mohammad Ali Durrani said the current situation was very complex but he felt there would be peace in both Afghanistan and Pakistan in due course.

Former provincial chief minister Sardar Mehtab Abbasi said the day when Pakistan`s politicians and army were on the same page, there would be peace in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan.

Noted among those in attendance were senior provincial minister Sikandar Sherpao, former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief General (r) Hamid Gul, former provincial minister Abdul Subhan Khan, ANP leader Shahi Syed, MPAs and writers and journalists.

Meanwhile, Mr Sherpao told a news conference in Peshawar in the day that the former federal and provincial governments were responsible for failing to make serious efforts for restoration of peace in the country.

He said the former rulers did not bother to initiate talks with the stakeholders and rather opted for use of force and all that caused the situation to worsen.

When asked about PTI Chairman Imran Khan`s statement that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would stop Nato supplies in the province if drone attacks were not stopped, the QWP chairman said the ruling party in the province hadn`t taken his party into confidence on the matter.

`We will give feedback if the issue is raised at a proper forum,` he said.

Mr Sherpao denied there were differences among the ruling coalition in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said reports in this respect were baseless.

On the occasion, scores of workers and office-bearers of Tehreek Tahafuz Pakistan announced to join QWP.