Paktika province is located toward the southeast of Afghanistan. It merits mention here that the people of the strategically located Paktika had been playing a highly significant role in defending of their motherland.
Paktika shares borders with Ghazni in the north and northwest, while it touches Zabul and Baluchistan province of Pakistan and it shares a long border with the militants-infested North and South Waziristan to the south and southeast.
Paktika is situated at a distance of 210-kilometers from the capital Kabul. It shares 360-kilometers long border with the neighboring Pakistan. It has a total 36,360 square kilometers area.
Geographically, the province is located 31.59 to 33. 42 latitudes and 67.81 to 69.54 longitudes.
Paktika has hot weather during summer with the temperature reaches to 35 degree Celsius but it remains cold in the winter and the temperature comes down -10 to -20 degree Celsius.
Districts:
According to administrative division, Paktika has 19 districts with its capital city.
Sharana is the capital while Mata Khan, Yusufkhel, Yahyakhel, Omna, SarHawza, ZarghunShar, Janikhel, Gomal, Surobi, Urgun, Ziruk, Nika, Dila, WazaKhwa, Terwa, WorMamay, Barmal, Gayan and Measht are its known districts.
Majority of the inhabitants of the province are Pashtun, however, few Tajik families live in the province.
Sulaimankhel, Kharoti, Zadran, Wazir, Andar, Urgoni, Sulimanzi and Digan are the main tribes living side by side in the province.
The total number of villages in the province is 237 and each district has tribal elders.
Culture:
After the establishment of new government, cultural activities expanded throughout the province with setting up of new media outlets and cultural societies.
With the establishment of government institutions such as department of information and cultural activities, schools and universities are also established in the province. On the other hand few public libraries in Paktika have been established by the civil societies for the welfare of the people.
The civil societies active in Paktika include Paktika Independent Journalist Society, Paktika Youth Cultural Society, Urgon Youth Cultural Society, High Council of Youth, Pakika Shop Keepers Union, High Council of Sharana Tribes Unity, Ghatol Society and Paktika Art Movement arranges and participates in different poetry and social gatherings.
Historical background:
Paktika has several historical sites and the most ancient historical place is the hill of Patna. Its historical antiquity belongs to the times of Zmards before the advent of Islam.
Similarly, historical sites exist in other parts of the province and the Gomal district is among the historical places. It is the birth place of the Kharot tribe because Gomal is considered to be the mother place of Kharot tribe and their generation has been spread to other parts of the country from the same area.
Most of the historians are of the view that lyrics sang by a women about Gomal at times of Sultan Mahmood Ghaznavi when his troops moved towards south to conquer India, her husband Khalo was also a part of the force.
The lyric sung at that time by the woman says: Once the troops of Khalo are returned; I will for sure go forward from Gomal to accord a warm welcome to my sweetheart Khalo.
Tombs of most of the scholarly characteristics personalities including Wais-a-Qarni Baba, Baba Ji Sahaib, Hayat Baba, Diwana Baba, Agah Mubarak, Kaka Mubarak, Zahid Baba, Jabar Nikah exist in Paktika province. In addition, the residencies of Sayd Jalal Bukhari and other prominent personalities are there in Paktika province.
Celebrities:
Azad Khan Sulimankhel, Sardar Fatih Khan, Shashi Kamrani, General Angoor Khan, General Dilbaz Khan, Major General Baba Jan, General Meera Khan, General Akhti Khan, General Sheer Mohammad Khan, Sobedar Ramazan Khan, General Shah Baram Khan, Naiab Sala Mosa Khan, Abdullah Khan, Khalifa Gulab Shah, Malak Abdul Ali Sultan, MP Mohammad Aslam, Alhaj Asghr, Khan Jabarkhel, Shadi Khan Parokhel, Alhaj Pahlawan, General Abdul Hakim Khan Katawazi, MP Mohammad Aslam, Wazir Faiz Mohammad Khan, Muhammad Khan Katawazi, Alhaj Jamak Agha, Razim Khan Zadran, Malik Sheer Khan, MP Alhaj Qutab Khan, Alhaj Mohammad Yaqoub Saponi, Alhaj Mohammad NayazYahya Khel, Ustad Abdul Qadir Khan, Malak Agha, Bacha Khan Sulimankhel, Sheed Wali Eng. Mohammad Umar Sulimankhel and Shaheed Molvi Arsalan Rahmani.
Contemporary celebrities:
WazirAmir Sangeen, Dr. Ameer Mohammad Mansoori, Suliman Laiq, Mohammad Halim Fidai, Mohammad Asif Nang, weight lifter Mohammdullh Katwazi, Dr. Nizamuddin Katwazai, Abdul Hakim Mujahid, Dr. Ghirat Baheer, Raz Mohammad Fidai, Ghargashta Sulimankhel, governor Arsala Jamal, governor IqbalAzizi, MP Nadar Khan Katwazi, Maulvi Abdu Rahim, Dr. Aziz Hakimi, Mohammad Qayyum Katwazi, Fathi Tarkhel, MP Mahmood Sulimankhel, MP Sarwar khan, MP Wazir Mohammad Katwazi, Dr. Faiz Mohammad Zalan, Habibullah Sharanwal, Ustad Khwarmal and others.
Media:
Media in the Paktika province witnessed record boom with the establishment of Hamid Karzi government.
Meanwhile, the lone state-run Paktia Mili Radio and four private sector radios such as Tolana FM, Pashtun Voice, Paktin Voice and Mailmah are functioning in the province.
In addition, some print media outlets such as Paktika Magazine, Fikri Raghon, Sharani Magazine, Tolana Magazine and Ghatol Magazine are among the print media outlets.
Education:
Despite the fact that the province is situated in a challenging location amid security concerns, most of the province’s schools are functioning.
A total of 344 schools are operating in the province in which 142,034 students are being provided educations with 23,000 among them are is girls’ students. In addition, 950 permanent and 2,762 contract teachers have been hired to impart education to the students of the restive region.
Industry:
Most of the blacksmiths of Paktika are traditionally associated with manufacturing of carpentry such as hovel, hatchet, shaver, hammer, mount, dishes and pots. The hand made products have good market.
In addition, women blacksmith play highly important role in the industrial development of the province. Most of the women earn their livelihood from the handmade products.
Despite metal work, carpets and cloth weaving have been the long established tradition in Paktika.
Agriculture:
A matter of fact, the provincial authority did not pay any heed to develop the province’s vital agriculture sector despite the fact that Paktika has immense plain area.
Major crops include wheat, corn, barley, beans, and pulses. The province produces a huge quantity of fruits such as pine nuts, almonds, grapes, apple, and apricots.
Sarobi, Omna, Gayan, Gomal, Ziruk, Nika, Char Baran and SarRawza areas produces pine nuts while grapes are growing abundantly in central Yousefkhel, KhairKot and Mata Khan area while apples and apricots grow elsewhere in the province.
The recent drought spell in the province forced many farmers to irrigate their lands through dug-wells because the previous system of irrigation was no more useful.
Sports:
Besides traditional games, contemporary sports such as football, volleyball, basketball and cricket are popular games in Paktika. There are proper grounds and specific clubs for football, volleyball and basketball.
The Youth Cultural Society headed by Amiri sponsor sports facilities in the provinces. The society has helped built several grounds for different games in the province.
Wrestling, shooting and other types of athletics games are also popular among the youth of the province.
