Paktika (Pashto:
پکتیکا) is one of the
thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the
south-east of the country and overwhelmingly
conservative Sunni Pashtun people. Its capital is Sharan.
Political and Military Situation
As one of the most remote provinces
in Afghanistan, and in an area that saw a lot of
devastation in previous years, Paktika suffers from a
serve lack of critical infrastructure. Reconstruction in
the province after the fall of the Taliban has been slow
in comparison to that in nearby provinces such as Khost
and Zabul, in large part due to the remoteness of the
region and repeated attacks on aid workers. In 2004, an
American Provincial Reconstruction Team base was
established in Sharana to lead the development effort.
While the province hasn't witnessed
the outright fighting in the last few years that has
affected provinces like Helmand, there is a constant low
level of tribal violence accompanied by criminal and
Taliban activity. The last serious fighting in the
province took place in 2004, amid reports that
then-Governor Muhammad Ali Jalali was collaborating with
Taliban forces,
and that the Taliban had effectively annexed eastern portions
of the province. Jalali, and many of his allied officials, were replaced, U.S.
Special Forces were dispatched to fight the Taliban while the Pakistan forces
fought with the Taliban's allies in neighbouring South Waziristan.
History
Paktika was once part of a greater province
Paktia, that has itself now further split into
Khost province. The province was the site of many
battles during the Soviet occupation of the country and
the lawless years that followed.
Geography
Paktika is bordered on the north by
Paktia Province and
Khost Province on the east, as well as
South Waziristan, a Pakistani-administered tribal
area. The southern border is shared with
Zabul Province, while
Ghazni Province
