According to an investigation by TOLOnews, government offices have closed in some key districts of Paktika province due to the high level of insecurity. 

Officials said this has had a significant impact on people’s lives and the vacuum has resulted in locals having to deal with the Taliban’s justice system, specifically in the Sar Rozah district. 

The probe found that government officials dare not go to Geyan and Nakah districts because of the high security risks and have instead set up offices in another Paktika district, Orgun, where security is more stable.  

Paktika police chief confirmed these findings and said Geyan district is totally under siege and that food and military equipment has to be dropped from the air for security forces. 

In addition, it was found that government failed to rebuild the Sar Rozah district governor’s compound after it was destroyed in a suicide bombing several years ago.  

The Taliban apparently dominate several areas of Sar Rozah and all its government officials are now based about 20 kilometers away in Sharna city, the Paktika provincial capital. 

“All the (residents) incidents that occur in the mountainous regions are not shared with us, because the enemy is operating from bases there, so all issues are resolved there and are not shared with us,” said Sar Rozah district governor Musa Jan Kharoti.

“The office of Naka district governor also operates from this place (Sharna); Naka district is very insecure and we have a lot of problems there, but the office of Naka’s district governor is open to the public here and we settle their problems,” said Mirbaz, Geyan district governor.

Orgun district is however one of the more secure districts in Paktika.

“We are ready to cooperate with others coming from other districts, but they have their own offices here and people consult them and they go about their work,” said Orgun district governor Mohammad Reza Kharoti.

Paktika has more than 20 administrative units. 

The report has found that land routes have also been closed by the Taliban for Warmamai, Tarwah and Wazmakhaw districts and the only way to get food and equipment to security forces is by air.

“There is the possibility that these routes will be reopened in the future, but for this, we need to launch large scale operations,” said Paktika police chief Mohammad Azim Hashimi. 

But local officials have said that they are planning to launch military operations in the insecure regions of Paktika in the near future.