Okara was originally a sub-divisional headquarters of Sahiwal district and emerged as the headquarters of the new district of Okara on the July 01, 1982. Okara derived its name from a tree known as ‘OKAAN’ which was standing on the embankment of a water tank, being maintained by a person known as “RANA”. Prior to colonization, that was the only place for rest and drinking water in an otherwise, barren tract.

Okara district is composed of three sub-divisions Okara, Renala Khurd and Depalpur. Okara, the District Headquarters is about 127 Kilometers to the south-west of Lahore, on the National Highway and on the main Lahore-Karachi Railway track. Okara was raised to the level of Municipal Committee in 1937. After the implementation of Punjab Local Government Ordinance 2001, it was given the status of Tehsil Municipal Administration. After promulgation of Punjab Local Government Act 2013, it was given status of Municipal Committee and after implementation of Punjab Local Government Act 2019, its status was upgraded to Municipal Corporation.

The population census report of year 2017 has not been published by Government of Pakistan. However the provisional data available for this census shows the population of 357,935 persons for the city within municipal limits. A land scan process was done to estimate the population of entire inhabited areas of city in close approximation which was found to be 443,396 persons in the year 2017 with an annual growth rate of 2.32 % and it is expected to rise to 557,695 persons in the year 2027. A large and thick inhabitation has developed outside the municipal limits of the city and the municipal limits need to be extended.

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