A demarcation line was originally established in January 1949 as a ceasefire line, following the end of the first Kashmir war. The LOC passes through a mountainous region around 5,000 metres high. The conditions are so extreme that the bitter cold claims more lives than the sporadic military skirmishes. The UN has maintained a presence in the disputed area since 1949. It is commanded by Major-General Jozsef Bali of Hungary.
Religion is an important aspect of the dispute.
So a common faith underpins Pakistans claims to Kashmir, where many areas are Muslim-dominated. There have been sporadic but recently increasing incidents of sectarian violence. There are several groups pursuing the rival claims to Kashmir. Not all are armed, but since Muslim insurgency began in 1989, the number of armed separatists has grown from hundreds to thousands. The most prominent are the pro-Pakistani Hizbul Mujahideen, which declared a ceasefire last week.