Paktika Province

Paktika (Pashto: پکتیکا) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-east of the country. Most of the population is 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 much devastation in previous years, Paktika suffers from a severe 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. This is primarily due to the remoteness of the region and repeated attacks on aid workers. In June 2004, members of the Utah and Iowa National Guard helped Army Reserve Civil Affairs Soldiers from Oregon establish a Provincial Reconstruction Team base in Sharana, capital of the province, to lead the development effort. The first full contingent of eight Civil Affairs Soldiers, from Maryland, arrived in September 2004.
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 .
On 1 November 2004, a civil affairs convoy was ambushed near Sarobi, between Shkin firebase and Orgun-E. U.S. Army Spc. James Kearney, a turret gunner, died of a head shot from a sniper, which initiated the ambush. After countless RPGs, PKM rounds and an IED, two vehicles were destroyed and three other Soldiers were wounded. The Provincial Reconstruction Team base was named Camp Kearney on 21 November 2004 to honor the sacrifice of Spc. James Kearney.[
Kearney Base became the nucleus of what was to become Forward Operating Base Sharana, now the major U.S. military base in the region.

Politicians
The current Governor of the province is Akram Khpalwak. In 2006, a previous Governor of the province, Muhammad Ali Jalali, was killed by Taliban millitants while driving in neighbouring Ghazni Province [4]. In 2004, Ghulabuddin Mangal was appointed Governor of Paktika Province replacing Muhammad Ali Jalali who left the governor's compound as ordered, but only after firing two rockets at it as a goodbye present.

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, and by North Waziristan and South Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan to the east. The western border is shared with Ghazni Province and Zabul Province, while Balochistan, Pakistan is on its southern flank.
Like many areas of the country, Paktika has been heavily deforested. This has been one of the causes of devastating flooding in recent years [5].

Districts
Barmal District
Dila District
Gayan District
Gomal District
Mata Khan District
Nika District
Omna District
Sar Hawza District
Sarobi District
Sharan District
Urgun District
Waza Khwa District (alternate spelling: Wazi Khwa
Wor Mamay District
Zarghun Shahr District
Ziruk District

Cities
Orgun is the main market town and biggest city, while Sharan is the capital.