The Pakistani Taliban has elected number two commander Khan Said, known as Sajna, as leader.

Said replaces Hakimullah Mehsud, who was killed on November 1 in a US drone strike in the Waziristan region, according to intelligence officials and militant commanders.

Mehsul was on the US most-wanted militants’ list. He was believed to have been involved in several plots, including a deadly attack on a US base in Afghanistan in 2009.

Pakistan’s government issued a statement through its foreign ministry saying it “strongly condemned the US drone strike”, calling such actions “counter-productive”.

On the streets of Islamabad, many residents were also critical, especially because of the implications for Pakistan’s efforts to negotiate a peace settlement with the Taliban.

One local said: “It makes the peace dialogue process with the Taliban difficult. Now that Mehsud’s been killed, they won’t be prepared any more to have a dialogue with us. So how can we carry on with it? The dialogue can only happen when there is peace from both sides, and when there are no drone strikes.”

Another complained: “Drone strikes are doing us no good. In fact, the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in such an attack is harmful for our country, as well as for Muslims.”