She was sent to Pakistan to marry a distant cousin in an arranged marriage. She soon found herself treated like a servant. When Irene refused, her in-laws set her on fire. She died in hospital. Despite often overwhelming evidence, the PWA has secured convictions in barely one per cent of cases.
Attackers usually say the fire was a stove accident.
In Sabira's case, her husband argued that she was insane and set fire to herself. He walked free. In Irene's case, her in-laws claimed that she was warming milk and the gas exploded. Her case never came to court. Last week, the PWA and several human rights groups, launched a campaign to press the military government to introduce legislation to make domestic violence a recognised crime.