Paktia

Paktia is a province in south-eastern Afghanistan, lying between the Logar valley and the Pakistani border. Its neighbours are Logar to the north, Nangarhar to the north-east, Pakistan to the east, Khost to the south-east, Paktika to the south and Ghazni to the west. Its capital, Gardez, stands on a broad plain at about 2,300 metres, where roads from Kabul, Khost, Ghazni and Paktika meet. The province is mountainous, with high plains in the west and steep, forested ranges in the east along the Pakistani border, where the Spin Ghar, also called the Safed Koh, rises above 4,000 metres. Eastern districts such as Jaji, Chamkani and Dand Patan hold some of the few remaining conifer forests in Afghanistan, and are known for timber and pine nuts. Paktia is part of the historic region often called Loya Paktia, or Greater Paktia, which also includes Khost and Paktika. It is known for its Pashtun tribal traditions, its hospitality and its strong sense of local identity, and the attan dance is widely said to have its roots in this region. For visitors, the province offers mountain landscapes, forests and an insight into rural life in the south-east, with Gardez as the main base.

Paktia lies on old routes between the Afghan highlands and the plains of the Indus, and the Gardez plain has been settled since ancient times. In the first millennium CE the region shared in the Buddhist and Hindu cultures of eastern Afghanistan, and an early marble statue of the Hindu god Ganesha was found near Gardez. After the spread of Islam the area came under the dynasties that ruled from Ghazni and later Kabul. Over the centuries the province's Pashtun tribes developed strong traditions of self-government through the jirga, the council of elders, and they have played a significant part in Afghan politics; in 1929 forces raised among the tribes of the south-east helped bring Nadir Khan to power in Kabul. In the 20th century the larger Paktia of earlier times was divided, and Khost and Paktika became provinces of their own. In recent decades the province has been affected by conflict, and its forests have been reduced by heavy logging.

Pashto is the main language of Paktia, and Dari is also spoken, especially in Gardez. The province's people are largely Pashtun, belonging to a number of tribes, each with its own areas, elders and traditions; most people are Sunni Muslims. Pashtunwali, the customary code of conduct, shapes much of social life, with its emphasis on hospitality, honour and the protection of guests. The jirga, an assembly of elders, settles disputes and decides community matters, and in every village the hujra serves as a guest house and meeting place for men. The attan, a circle dance performed to the dhol drum and the surna, is closely associated with the region and is danced at weddings and celebrations. Pashto poetry and song are much loved, and the two Eids are the main festivals. Cricket has become very popular, alongside wrestling and other traditional games.

Paktia's landscapes range from open plains to forested mountains. Around Gardez and in Zurmat to the south, the land is a high, fairly level plateau at over 2,000 metres, with wheat fields, villages and dry hills. To the east, the land climbs steeply into the ranges along the border. The eastern districts are among the most forested parts of Afghanistan, with stands of pine, cedar and oak on the higher slopes and well-watered valleys fed by rain and snowmelt. Chilgoza pine, whose nuts are gathered in autumn, grows in some of these forests. The Kurram River rises in the province's eastern mountains before flowing into Pakistan. Rainfall is higher here than in much of the country, and the south-east feels the edge of the summer monsoon, which brings occasional storms in July and August. Farmers grow wheat, maize, potatoes and fruit, and livestock graze the uplands.

Paktia's food reflects its Pashtun traditions and its mountain produce. Meat, especially mutton, is central to hospitality, and a guest is likely to be served qabuli palaw, kebabs or a large meal of meat and bread in the hujra. Chapli kebab, flat patties of minced meat with spices, is popular across the region. In autumn and winter, families prepare landi, dried mutton, and cook it with rice or in rich soups. Maize and wheat breads are baked at home, and dairy products such as yoghurt, butter, doogh and qurut are part of everyday meals. The province's forests provide chilgoza pine nuts, which are roasted and sold in bazaars across Afghanistan, and walnuts and seasonal fruit come from the valleys.

Paktia's crafts are mostly made for local use rather than for visitors. In the forest districts, carpenters and woodworkers make doors, beams, furniture and household items from local timber. Embroidery is widespread, and women embroider caps, dresses, shawls and the decorated cloths used at weddings, often in bright colours and sometimes with small mirrors. Mats, baskets and rope woven from mazri, the dwarf palm of the lower south-eastern hills, are sold in the bazaars. In Gardez and the district centres, these goods are sold alongside woollen blankets and shawls, traditional Pashtun clothing and leather sandals, which are widely worn in the region.

Gardez and the western plains have a highland climate, with cold, snowy winters from December to February and warm, dry summers. The best months for travel are April to June, when the fields are green, and September to October, when the air is clear and the harvest is in. The eastern forest districts are cooler and wetter, and are at their best in late spring and early autumn. In July and August the south-east can receive monsoon rains and thunderstorms, which may affect mountain roads. Winter snow can close high passes, including at times the road between Gardez and Khost. The pine-nut harvest takes place in autumn, when the bazaars fill with fresh chilgoza.

From Kabul, the main highway runs south through Logar via Puli Alam and crosses a pass into Paktia to reach Gardez, about 125 km and usually two and a half to three hours by road. From Gardez, roads lead south-east over the mountains to Khost, west to Ghazni, and south into Paktika. The eastern districts are reached by mountain roads from Gardez, many of them narrow and unpaved and some closed by snow in winter. Paktia shares a border with Pakistan, and crossing points in the eastern districts mainly serve local traffic. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Gardez has a small number of hotels and guesthouses, which are the main option for travellers in the province. Standards are basic to modest, and rooms are used mostly by traders and officials. Outside Gardez, commercial accommodation is scarce or absent. In villages, travellers are traditionally received as guests in the hujra, the guest room of a household or community, where hosts offer food and a place to sleep as a matter of honour rather than business. Such hospitality depends on personal introductions and local circumstances. District centres may have simple rooms above shops or restaurants, intended mainly for drivers and traders.

Shared taxis and minibuses connect Gardez with Kabul, Khost, Ghazni and the district centres, leaving from stands in the city when full. Services to the eastern mountain districts are less frequent and depend on the season. In the larger district centres, rickshaws cover short distances. Motorcycles are widely used in rural areas, and many people travel between villages on foot. A hired car with a driver, ideally a four-wheel-drive vehicle, is the most practical way to reach the forest districts and high valleys, where roads are rough and steep. Donkeys and mules carry loads on mountain tracks.