ISLAMABAD, Nov 2: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has hinted that the country’s love-hate relationship with the United States could be redefined against the backdrop of the killing of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakeemullah Mehsud in a US drone attack.

“The Cabinet Committee on National Security will shortly meet to review the entire gamut of relationship and cooperation at all levels with the United States,” the minister told a press conference on Thursday.

Earlier, the interior minister presided over a meeting attended by Sartaj Aziz, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs, and by Tariq Fatemi, the special assistant to the PM on Foreign Affairs, as well as heads of intelligence agencies.

Hakeemullah’s elimination came at a time when the government was about to open formal peace talks with the Taliban.

Chaudhry Nisar said it was not an attack on an individual but murder of the peace process that was being diligently pursued by the government with an unprecedented support of political parties, ulema and the army.

“We had brick by brick evolved over seven weeks a process which could lead to peace,” he said.

He said the drone strike came hours before a three-member delegation comprising ulema was to leave for Miramshah to extend a formal invitation for talks to the Taliban leadership.

He said the names of members of the delegation had been conveyed to the Taliban and a letter from him was to be delivered to them.

Asked if Nato supplies could be halted, Chaudhry Nisar said the nature of future relationship with the US would be decided at the highest level. “Every aspect of the relationship and cooperation will be reviewed.”

The interior minister disclosed that Pakistan had reached an understanding with the US that drone strikes would remain suspended during the peace talks.

He said during his first meeting with the US ambassador after assuming office, he had told him that the government’s demand for end to drone attacks should be taken seriously and that there would be a stand-off between the two governments if it was not done.

Chaudhry Nisar said during a meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry it was made clear that the US credibility would come to naught if the TTP was targeted during the peace process.

He said initially the US set several conditions, but Pakistan rejected them and finally it was agreed upon that drone strikes would not be carried out during the dialogue process with Taliban.

He said Pakistan also rejected a US proposal that if traced Hakeemullah Mehsud would not be spared but other TTP men would not be attacked. The record of this verbal agreement was available and it would be brought forth if his claim was challenged. “How Hakeemullah Mehsud became relevant now? Either our comprehension is limited or the US needs to learn a lot what is happening in this part of the world,” he remarked.

He said after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s recent meeting with President Barack Obama, the US publicly said that it would support the peace process. “Is this the way to support it? The TTP chief has been targeted in an ambush,” he said.

The minister said the drone attack on the TTP chief had turned the entire peace process upside down. He, however, appealed to the Taliban leadership not to allow attempts to derail the peace process. “The drone attack was not carried out by the government of Pakistan and innocent people should not become victims of any act of revenge”.

He said Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani also supported the dialogue process and had informed him that the army had halted routine movement of troops so that nobody took it as preparations for a military offensive.

He said the dialogue could have started weeks ago, but a string of terrorist activities delayed it. He referred to the incidents, including the killing of a major general and attacks on a church and Qissa Khwani Bazaar in Peshawar, and said a message had been sent to the Taliban that talks with preconditions were not possible.

Chaudhry Nisar said when the talks were about to commence, the drone attack came as a serious setback to the peace process. “If Hakeemullah Mehsud was the target, there were many opportunities during his visits to Afghanistan,” he said.

He observed that the apparent motive behind the US drone strike was to sabotage the peace process.

He said before 9/11 terrorism was not a problem for Pakistan. “We are happy that there is peace in the US and the West, but when we make efforts for peace such attacks come. What is our fault?”

He said the entire political leadership, which had supported the peace process through a unanimous resolution, would be consulted on the way forward.