Loya Paktia

The Afghan provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Khost, and some neighboring areas constitute the Loya Paktia region

Loya Paktia (Pashto: لويه پکتيا‎, lit. "Great Paktia") is a historical and cultural region of Afghanistan, comprising the modern Afghan provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Khost, and also parts of Logar and Ghazni.^[1] The Kurram Agency in Pakistan may be included too. Loya Paktia is vaguely defined by a common culture and history that is connected to the local indigenous tribes that reside in the region. Particular styles of clothing, articles of clothing, turban styles, turban cloth colors, dialects of Pashto language, etc. may sometimes be associated with specific tribes indigenous to Loya Paktia and thus integrate themselves into regional culture. For instance, a Pashtun tribesman from Loy Kandahar may quickly recognize a Pashtun from Loya Paktia based upon his turban (or lungee) style and color. Likewise, a Pashtun from Loya Paktia may recognize someone from Loy Kandahar based upon his unique style of collarless kameez (shirt) with specific embroidered patterns on the front. There are many subtle and intricate cultural indicators of this type that are not recorded in any known written history but simply known and observed by the tribesmen of the various Pashtun regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The main towns of Loya Paktia include Gardez, Khost, Urgun, Sharana and Zurmat shwak sattay kandaw The population mostly consists of various sub-tribes and clans under the Ghilzai and Karlani tribes of Pashtuns. Predominant tribes with notable large populations native to Loya Paktia include the Kharoti, Zazi, Zadran, Bangash and Sulaimankhel. Kuchis are also common here throughout the year.

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