The issue of Kashmir is as important to Turkey as it is to Pakistan, Turkey’s president said. “The Kashmir problem can be solved not by conflict or oppression, but on the basis of justice and equity,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Pakistan’s National Assembly and Senate during his official visit to the country. His remarks come some seven months into a lockdown on Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian-administered section of the disputed Kashmir region, a move widely decried by human rights groups as well as the global Islamic community. In his record fourth address to Pakistan’s parliament, Erdogan also addressed the situation in Idlib, northwestern Syria, saying that Turkey’s latest steps in the province’s de-escalation zone are meant to prevent the Assad regime from killing 4 million oppressed people using barrel bombs. Pakistan stands with Turkey’s righteous cause, despite others who work to protect terrorists, he said, referring to Turkey’s anti-terrorist Operation Peace Spring, launched last October, in northwestern Syria. “Turkey will continue supporting Pakistan in its fight against terrorism,” he added. Erdogan also said Turkey would support Pakistan against the application of political pressure by the intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force. Pakistani President Arif Alvi on Feb. 13 hosted a reception in honor of his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the capital Islamabad. The reception was held at the President House hours after Erdoğan arrived in Islamabad for a two-day official visit. According to a statement by the presidency, both leaders stressed the importance of historic bilateral relationship between Turkey and Pakistan in various areas, including politics, economy, culture, defence and people-to-people contacts. Alvi briefed Erdoğan on the worsening human rights situation in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and thanked him for his “principled stance” on Kashmir. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues. Alvi underscored Pakistan’s efforts for Afghan peace and stressed that the global community should help Afghanistan in post-conflict reconstruction. The two leader also agreed that Pakistan and Turkey must continue to work closely to counter challenges facing the Muslim ummah, including Islamophobia, the statement added.