Okara

Okara City was established in nineteenth Century. It iis located at 127 KM south-west of Lahore on national highway (G.T.Road) and on Lahore Karachi main railway line. Its approximate height above sea level is 50 meters. While the towns of Okara are a part of ancient history. According to a tradition there were clumps of OKAAN Trees in this place. After the name of these OKAAN trees this place was known as Okara. This area of land was raided by European and the middle Asian invaders just because it was situated in the ways of those areas which were rich, advanced and geographically politically, and militarily central cities of the sub continent, It was only because of those brave and freedom fighters who stopped Alexandar the Great to advance in this area and he had to go back defeated from this area of land.

The histoty of this area is 3000 B.C. old. This area of land remained war land for Turks, Arabs, Persians, Lodhies, Tugliqs, Mangola, Mughal Emperors, Merhattas, Sikhs and Hindus. This area was also ruled over by Rajpoots till 1770. In 1849, the British occupied this area. In the Freedom Fight of 1857, The people of this area resisted against the British. Rai Ahmad Khan Kharil including Mehr Murad Fatiana and many other brave people fought against the British and defeated the British at a number of places. History speaks of these freedom fighters who were few in number and they put to death Lord Burkley and his fifty soldiers.

When the British Govt., after defeating Sikh rulers, ruled this area in 1849. They established a new district in Pakpattan which was later on Shifted to Gogera, a town near the Ravi. When a Railway line was laid out between Multan and Lahore it was shifted to Montogornery in 1864. This area remained the part of Montgomery District. In 1215 Okara became Tehsil. It became Committee in 1939 and Municipal Committee in 1945.

After the creation of Pakistan, Okara played a vital role for the progress of the country. Isatghara, Gogera, Sherghar, Hujra, Shah Muqeem and Renala Khurd are towns of this city. The Okara district population is about 2.2 Million.