evidence: Although there was a clear Muslim majority in Kashmir before the 1947 partition, and its economic, cultural, and geographic contiguity with the Muslim-majority area of the Punjab could be convincingly demonstrated, the political developments during and after the partition resulted in a division of the region. Pakistan was left with territory that, although basically Muslim in character, was thinly populated, relatively inaccessible, and economically underdeveloped. The largest Muslim group, situated in the Vale of Kashmir and estimated to number more than half the population of the entire region, lay in Indian-administered territory, with its former outlets via the Jhelum valley route blocked. [...] A number of movements have variously sought a merger of Kashmir with Pakistan or independence for the region from both India and Pakistan. To contend with these movements and confront Pakistani forces along the cease-fire line, the Indian union government has maintained a strong military presence there, especially since the end of the 1980s. Until 2019 the military presence was also intended to support the administrative integrity of Jammu and Kashmir state from movements seeking Indian union territory status for Buddhist Ladakh.