The residents of Future Colony continue to live in constant fear given the cases of theft that are rampant in the area. Such eventualities usually occur during the night where the electricity and gas meters outside the houses go missing. In fact, many residents have also complained that the electric wires and TV cable lines are stolen on a routine basis. Repeated complaints to the police in this regard have not helped either.

Future Colony is a part of Union Council (UC) 4, Moeenabad, Landhi Town. This colony consists of four sectors: A, B, C and F. The colony has a population of around 100,000 (mostly labourers) in which about 20,000 are registered voters. More than 50 per cent of the population is either Pushto or Hindko-speaking. The colony was inhabited by the workers of the Korangi Industrial Area in 1964-1965. Residents of the area claim that before workers from the Industrial Area came to live here, labourers who lived alongside the Malir Drain wanted to live here. They described this area as their future place of residence which is why it is now called Future Colony.

Residents told The News that there is only one gang involved these thefts, who is reported to own junkyards in Moeenabad No 1 and 2. It is the same gang that stole the construction material when development work on the 8,000 Road was being carried out. Future Colony also suffers from an acute shortage of water these days given the rapidly increasing population of the area. Only 50 per cent of the residents have access to a proper water supply. The Future Water Pump supplies water to sectors B and C through a pipeline with a 12-inch diameter. Another 18-inch diameter line provides water to the residents of sectors A and F. However, the water is supplied at low pressure, said residents.

Naib Nazim, Dr Ameer Alam of the Moeenabad UC, said that before laying a new gas pipeline in 2007, the residents were also suffering from a low gas pressure as well. He added that the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) struck a deal regarding the replacement an old line (one-inch diameter) with a line having a four-inch diameter. Thankfully, this has solved the problem of gas pressure in the area.

According to Alam, a new sewerage line project from Dawood Chowrangi to Malir River has also resolved the drainage issues of the colony. This project materialised under the head of the Tameer-e-Karachi Project with a cost of Rs10 million, which included the laying down of sewerage lines in the 17 streets of the colony.

Meanwhile, the colony also has a government secondary school in which boys and girls are taught in different shifts. Alam said that this school would be more of an asset if a science section is introduced as currently, only commerce subjects are taught. The locality also has a primary school established for the Christian community of the area.

Similarly, there is also a dispensary, housed on a one-acre plot situated near the UC office, which was constructed some 30 years ago. However, there is no qualified medical staff in the dispensary; nor are there any medicines. Dr Alam believes that with proper funding, the dispensary can be converted into a 50-bed hospital.