Okāra

Okāra, city, Punjab province, east-central Pakistan. In 1869 it became the headquarters of the tahsil (subdivision) of Okāra, supplanting Gugera as headquarters. A flourishing industrial and commercial trade centre, Okāra is situated on the Sāhiwāl-Lahore road and railway 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Sāhiwāl. There are several textile, hosiery, carpet, and grain mills located there. Okāra is also the site of a national military dairy farm and Livestock Research Centre and has a government college affiliated with the University of Punjab. Because of industrial growth, Okāra has developed into a modern city with paved roads, small gardens, and an up-to-date drainage system. Pop. (1998 prelim.) 200,901.