On 25 March 1971, after
Operation Searchlight, the exiled leadership of what is now Bangladesh declared independence from Pakistan and armed campaign against the Pakistan Army began. This struggle was spearheaded by elements of Mukti Bahini with strong support from India. As most of the locals were in support of Mukti Bahini and those who were not were killed by Mukti Bahini, the Pakistan Army, composed largely of elements from
Punjab, found itself and its cause pretty much alienated from the local populace. To counter this situation, the
Pakistan Army accepted help from political parties, proclaiming
Jihad against Indians, to seek unity among the population for the two wings of
Pakistan. The
PPP played an active role in its formation. It also recruited from the Urdu speaking Bihari population of East-Pakistan. This was between the Pakistan Army and the pro-independence forces and their supporters (Indians and Mukti Bahini). To recruit the local populace into fighting the independence movement, two sister organisations Al Badr (literally meaning The Moon, but also has a reference to the famous
Battle of Badr) and Al Shams were formed. ==Genocide==