In 2005, Okara campus of the University of Education, Lahore (UE) was inaugurated by then Minister of Defence (Pakistan) Rao Sikandar Iqbal. On February 23, 2016, Provincial Assembly of the Punjab passed the "University of Okara Bill 2016". Following that, Government of the Punjab issued a notification on April 1, 2016 for the upgradation of Okara campus to the University of Okara.