I noted [1] here yesterday the statement by Pakistan's Chief Minister of the North West Frontier Province, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti: “Every religion believe in peace and are against violence and terrorism and they are a major source of teaching and searching for peace and tranquility against hatred and unrest.” But while he has been saying that there is no room for terrorism in Islam, he has found plenty of room in it for Islamic supremacism and harsh Sharia rule.

Jeffrey Imm has kindly sent along these links:

Ameer Haider Hoti campaigned for NWFP chief minister with calls to negotiate with Taliban and called for Sharia law for NWFP's Swat (which the Taliban also seek to implement):

June 11, 2008
Govt engaged with all stakeholders for peace in NWFP, says Hoti
[2] http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\06\11\story_11-6-2008_pg7_61

April 2, 2008
ANP makes history as Hoti sworn in as NWFP CM
[3] http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\04\02\story_2-4-2008_pg7_18

March 19, 2008
Ameer Haider Hoti, CM Designate NWFP -- "If things can better, why not?" on Sharia law for Swat
[4] http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\03\19\story_19-3-2008_pg3_5

March 2, 2008
Govt to seek dialogue with Fazlullah
-- Candidate for NWFP chief minister, Ameer Haider Hoti
[5] http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\03\02\story_2-3-2008_pg7_1

-- "Hoti assured his full support for a political solution to the Swat situation, he added. Hoti had earlier said that the Taliban 'are a reality' and that he would 'hold talks' with them to improve law and order in NWFP."

Now, the point of this post is not Ameer Haider Khan Hoti. The point is that although his condemnation of terrorism didn't get any notice in the Western press, others have. And they have turned out to be just as superficial and inadequate as his turns out to be. Nor is this situation likely to improve anytime soon, since most media types don't even know what questions to ask in order to distinguish a condemnation of terrorism from a condemnation of jihad and Islamic supremacism, and don't even know why such a distinction matters.