Paktia Province of Afghanistan

Paktia is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.

History;

Paktia basically pashtia some pashtu scholars are claiming that the word pashtu has been stemmed form pashtia Najibullah Ahmadzai, the former president of Afghanistan, was from Paktia province, in particular the Melan Valley area. Paktia used to be a unified province with Khost and Paktika, these three provinces are now referred to as Loya Paktia, meaning "Greater Paktia". Paktia came to prominence during the 1980s, when a significant portion of Afghanistan's leadership originated from the province. Some of the more notable leaders include: Najibullah Ahmadzai, Mohammad Aslam Watanjar, Shahnawaz Tanai, and Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoi.

More recently, Paktia was the site of heavy fighting between Taliban and NATO forces following the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. Paktia was one of the last redoubts of organized Taliban resistance; much of Operation Anaconda took place in Zurmat, one of Paktia's larger districts.

Geography;

Paktia borders the Pakistani-ruled tribal areas of North Waziristan and Kurram. Like most of the traditional Pashtun areas of Afghanistan, the Durand Line that marks the border with Pakistan is "drawn on water", and residents move freely between the two countries.

Paktia is a largely mountainous province, with most of the population living in the central valley stretching from Ahmad Khel in the east down through Zormat and into neighboring Paktika province. The eastern part of the province, particularly Chamkani and Dand wa Patan, is a second valley leading into Pakistan.

Jaji and Jani Khel districts are largely mountainous with much smaller inhabited valleys.

The Khost-Gardez Pass area, to the south of Gardez, is mountainous with settlements limited to the main pass and smaller valleys.

As of 2005 Azra district is no longer a part of Paktya. It has been attached to Logar Province to the north, to which it is much more closely connected by roadways and people.

District;      

Ahmadabad                                     

Ahmad Khel                                     

Dand Wa Patan                                           

Gardez                                              

Gerda Seray                                     

Jaji                                         

Jani Khel                                           

Lazha                                    

Samkani                                            

Sayed Karam                                               

Shwak                                               

Wuza Zadran                                               

Zurmat

Capital;

Gardez

Area;

6,432 km² (2,483 sq mi)

Population;

415,000 (2002)

Main Language;

Pashto