Paktika

Paktika Province lies in south-eastern Afghanistan on the border with Pakistan. It borders Ghazni to the west and north-west, Paktia to the north, Khost to the north-east and Zabul to the south-west, while its long eastern and southern frontier faces the Pakistani regions of Waziristan and northern Balochistan. The capital, Sharana, lies in the north-west of the province. The province falls into contrasting zones. The north and west are an open, high plateau; the east, around Orgun, Barmal and Ziruk, is mountainous and partly forested; and the south, in districts such as Gomal, Wazakhwa and Wor Mamay, is a drier land of plains and low hills. The Gomal River rises in Paktika and flows east into Pakistan. Paktika is one of the less visited parts of the country. It offers forested mountains, wide upland landscapes and a strongly traditional rural Pashtun culture, but facilities for visitors are limited and the distances between district centres are long. Most journeys start from Sharana or from the eastern market town of Orgun.

The name Paktika, like that of neighbouring Paktia, is often linked to the Pactyans, a people mentioned by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus, though the connection is debated. The region lies on old routes between the Ghazni plateau and the plains of the Indus, and traders and herders have moved through its passes for centuries. For most of its history the area was governed loosely, with tribal councils and local leaders playing a large role in daily affairs. In the 20th century the old Paktia region was divided, and Paktika became a province in its own right. The province saw prolonged conflict in recent decades. In June 2022 a strong earthquake struck its eastern districts, particularly Gayan and Barmal, destroying many homes.

Paktika is almost entirely Pashto-speaking, and Pashtun traditions are strong. Councils of elders, or jirgas, settle disputes and community matters, and the code of hospitality means that a guest is fed, sheltered and protected by the household that receives them. Most people are Sunni Muslims, and religious learning is respected, with village mosques and madrasas at the centre of community life. Weddings are celebrated with drumming, the attan dance and Pashto songs, and the two Eids are the main festivals, marked with prayers, new clothes and visits to relatives. Cricket and volleyball are popular with young men, and in spring kite flying fills the skies above the towns. Men commonly wear the patu, a large woollen shawl, through the cold months.

Paktika rises from dry plains in the south to a high plateau in the north-west, around Sharana, at more than 2,000 m, and to rugged mountains along the eastern border. The mountains of the east, around Barmal, Ziruk, Nika and Gayan, carry stands of pine and other conifers, among the few forests in this part of the country. The Gomal River drains much of the south and east towards Pakistan and the Indus basin. Farming depends on karez, springs and seasonal streams, and wheat, maize and fruit are grown in the valleys. Grazing is important everywhere, and nomadic herders bring their flocks through the province on their seasonal migrations. In spring, grass and wild flowers briefly cover the slopes before the dry summer.

Paktika's food is hearty and centred on meat, in the style of the Pashtun south-east. Mutton is grilled as kebabs or slow-cooked in large pots for guests, and served with naan from the tandoor. Pine nuts gathered from the forests of the eastern mountains in autumn are sold in the bazaars, often roasted. Dairy is central to the rural diet, including yoghurt, buttermilk, butter and qurut, the dried yoghurt that keeps through the winter. Rice dishes such as qabuli palaw appear at weddings and gatherings, and green tea is served throughout the day with dried fruit and sweets.

Paktika is not widely known for crafts made for visitors. Its bazaars sell cloth, clothing, household goods, tools and food, along with the woollen patu shawls that men wear in cold weather and embroidered caps. In the villages, women embroider clothing for their families, and some households weave rugs and woollen items for their own use. Traditional Pashtun clothing, including long shirts and waistcoats, is made to measure by tailors in Sharana and Orgun, usually in a few days.

Paktika's climate varies with altitude. The high plateau around Sharana has warm summers and cold winters with regular snow, while the southern plains are hotter and drier. In the eastern mountains, winter snow can block roads for days. The best months are May to June, when the weather is mild and the uplands are green, and September to October, when days are clear and the harvest is in. July and August are warm on the plateau and hot in the south. Winter, from December to February, is cold everywhere, and travel is slower and harder.

Most journeys into Paktika start from Kabul, Ghazni or Gardez. Sharana, the capital, lies roughly 210 km from Kabul, a drive of four to five hours, reached either by way of Ghazni or by way of Gardez in Paktia. From Sharana, roads run south-east to Orgun and on towards the eastern districts, and south-west towards Zabul. The Angoor Adda crossing into South Waziristan in Pakistan lies in the far east of the province. Many roads are unpaved and can be slow after rain or snow, and the mountain districts in particular call for a sturdy vehicle. Road conditions and local circumstances change, so travellers should check current conditions before setting out.

Accommodation in Paktika is very limited. Sharana and Orgun have a few basic hotels, used mainly by officials, traders and drivers, and roadside tea houses on the main routes offer meals and occasionally somewhere to sleep. In the villages, guests are hosted in the hujra, the guest house that many communities keep for visitors, in keeping with Pashtun custom. Such stays are arranged through local contacts, and there is no formal accommodation outside the main towns.

Shared taxis and minibuses link Sharana with Ghazni, Gardez and Kabul, and with district centres such as Orgun, leaving when full. On the rougher roads to remote districts, pick-up trucks and four-wheel-drive vehicles are the norm. In Sharana and Orgun, zaranj rickshaws and motorbikes handle short trips. Visitors usually hire a car with a local driver who knows the roads and the area, and in mountain villages donkeys are still used to carry goods along tracks.