Excerpt: Zill

13th April 2002

I was sentenced to death by a single judge of session court, a regional court in Pakistan. Before declaring the decision, when he had almost reached there, the judge asked me whether I had to say anything in my favor. I didn’t have anything to say. So I didn’t. He adjourned the court for fifteen minutes and then came the decision. It was quite expected one as I had pleaded guilty of the murder and didn’t even request an apology. A pin drop silence prevailed when he read out the verdict. He signed the papers and disappeared behind a curtain on the left side of his chair. I heard that judges break the pen with which they sign a death sentence. I felt bad for the loss of his pen. A policeman walked me out of the court. I kept my head low.