Jail Breaks and Massacres by Awami Leaguers
The entire administration having been paralyzed, there were a number of jail breaks throughout East Pakistan resulting in the release of confirmed criminals including murderers, thugs and goondas who roamed the country side at will, murdering, robbing and raping.
The massacres carried out by the India-oriented Awami League storm troopers throughout the province during March-April 1971, also forced a large number of people to run across the border to escape slaughter.
During the period after 25 March 1971, there were clashes between the Army and the armed rebels and deserters. This made certain areas insecure for ordinary citizens. The armed rebels themselves, numbering nearly 200,000, lost the fight and fled across the border into India to escape retribution
Besides the armed rebels, other Awami League leaders and workers, who were too far committed to secessionist designs, also made good their escape
All the while, there was a tirade of vicious and persistent Indian propaganda from Calcutta Radio. This propaganda succeeded in spreading panic particularly among the Hindu minority, and added substantially to the exodus which was encouraged by repeated Indian announcements that the border was being kept open.
The Indian aims in encouraging a massive movement of people were partly to disrupt the economy of East Pakistan, and partly to discredit the Government of Pakistan by showing that large numbers of people were unwilling to live under the conditions prevailing in the province. Even as India brought about the formation of secessionist regime in exile, it appeared to be in. her interest to magnify the extent of human displacement to attract both international attention and sympathy.
Pakistan's Attitude
The Pakistan authorities were initially preoccupied with the restoration of law and order, and the rehabilitation of the administrative machinery that had been paralyzed by the armed rebellion. Only after re-establishing their authority throughout the province where they able to initiate measures to attract the citizens who had left, back to their homes. Among these measures were appeals to the citizens to return, along with an amnesty to restore a feeling of confidence among them.
On 21 May 1971, the President of Pakistan made a fervent appeal urging the bona fide Pakistani Citizens, who had left due to disturbed conditions in East Pakistan, to come back home. In a statement broadcast by all stations of Radio Pakistan, and also carried by a number of foreign news media, the President said that law and order had been restored in East Pakistan, and life was fast returning to normal. He urged the people not to be misled by the false propaganda mounted by anti-state elements, and to return to carry on their normal functions. He gave a categorical assurance that “there is no question of withholding permission to the return of law-abiding citizens of Pakistan to their respective homes".
