Awaran, June 1 -- The Baloch human rights organisation Paank has strongly condemned the rising wave of state-backed violence in Awaran district, Balochistan, following a string of extrajudicial killings allegedly carried out by Pakistani military forces and affiliated death squads.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Paank highlighted the recent targeted killing of Sageer Ahmed, a police employee and resident of Gwrjak Mashkai. Ahmed was reportedly shot dead by a state-backed death squad in Shareeki Awaran on May 30.

"This cold-blooded murder of a public servant adds to the growing list of victims of state repression in Awaran," the statement read.

The rights group documented several other recent cases as part of what it called "a syste...