Why did Pakistan consider Kashmir a natural extension of Pakistan after partition?

Pakistan considered Kashmir a natural extension of its territory primarily due to the region's demographic and geographic characteristics at the time of the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinent.

Specifically, Pakistan’s claim was rooted in the following factors:

• Demographic Composition: Kashmir possessed a clear Muslim majority, which aligned with the foundational rationale of the Muslim League and the "two-nation theory" that advocated for a separate state for Indian Muslims.123
• Geographic and Economic Contiguity: The region shared significant economic, cultural, and geographic ties with the Muslim-majority areas of the Punjab, which became part of Pakistan.2

While the princely states were granted the right to choose between India and Pakistan, the Maharaja of Kashmir, Hari Singh, initially sought to maintain independence. However, following a revolution among his Muslim subjects and the intervention of Pashtun tribesmen, he signed an Instrument of Accession to India in October 1947. This act prompted direct intervention from Pakistan, which viewed the state as a natural extension of its own territory, and India, which sought to confirm the accession.14