Okara, Pakistan

Okara اوکاڑہ‎
City
The shrine of Khoo Pak By Usman Jaj 15GD
Okara Okara
Coordinates: 30°48′33″N 73°27′13″E
Country	Pakistan
Province	Punjab
District	Okara District
Area
• Total	199 km2 (77 sq mi)
Elevation	105 m (344 ft)
Population  (2017 census)
• Total	326,801
Time zone	UTC+5 (PST)
Highways	N-5
Number of Union councils	10

Okara (Urdu: اوكاڑا) is the capital city of Okara District, Punjab, Pakistan. The name Okara comes from Okaan, the name of a of tree. The city is located southwest of the city of Lahore and Faisalabad is 100 km by passing away Ravi River. It is famous for its cotton mills. The nearest major city to Okara is Sahiwal. The population of Okara is 326,801. The Multan road connects Okara City with Lahore.

History

The Depalpur Tehsil, in the Okara District is older than Mohenjo-daro. It is officially the largest tehsil in Pakistan. Pakpattan near Okara City is also very old. During the British rule in the 19th century, there was a forest of Okaan trees where city is built. During British rule, Okara was considered part of Pakpattan. It was a city many famous fighters and soldiers who came here or passed the city. This includes Alexander the Great (Sikandar-e-Azam), Changez Khan, etc.

Geography

River Sutlej is to the east and River Ravi is to the west of Okara. That is why it is famous for agriculture. It is the biggest producer of milk in the country. The nearest major city to Okara is Sahiwal. Other cities include Depalpur, and Phool Nagar. The land is flat with livestock and agriculture fields. The Okara Army Cantonement is 141 kilometers away from the city. Okara has some shops and markets. Towns and colonies in the cities are Sahfiq Town, Fateh Town, Aamir Colony, Rehman Colony and others.