KOHAT, Jan 18: Over a dozen transvestites were arrested in a police crackdown on the charges of their involvement in ‘unethical and illegal’ activities in Kohat here on Friday night.

About 100 transvestites have hired rooms in a building in main Tirah bazaar of the city and residing there since long. These people have come from various parts of Punjab and tribal areas and perform at marriage parties and other such functions in the area, residents said.

Police confirmed that 13 transvestites were picked up from suspected places and put behind bars following complaints of local people. Police have registered an FIR against them.

The police said that though the transvestites had permit of dancing at functions, some of them were arrested after complaints that they were involved in unethical activities and promoting vulgarity.

Peeping through the bars of city police lock-up, they told this correspondent that they were innocent. They said that they had come to the city to earn livelihood for their families back home.

It has been learnt that sometimes the police pick them up forcibly from the building during night time and drop them back in the morning.

QUOTA DEMANDED: The Wapda hydro labour union has demanded increase in job quota for the children of employees of Water and Power Development Authority.

Speaking at a meeting here on Friday, the union chairman Mohammad Iqbal said that a separate housing colony had been approved for the employees due to their efforts. He criticised the Paigham union and said that the hydro union was ready for referendum to elect future office-bearers.

Mr Iqbal said that the job quota for their children had been proposed to be increased from 33 per cent to 40 per cent and demanded its implementation.