His father was one of the first few goldsmiths who got established in Doha. He himself went on to learn the skill and trait of being a metalworker from a well-known teacher in Qatar during late 1960s.
Goldsmith Khurshid Anwar Butt, who landed in Qatar as early as 1962, is still healthy and

 

 Young Khurshid

active. He routinely attends customers in his shop – Al Safa Jewellers at Al Ashat Street in Old Al Ghanim. He cherishes his old memories and loves to talk about his early years in Doha and the changes he has seen in the country.
Sixty-eight year old Khurshid is a long time resident of Qatar as he came here as a child with his mother and siblings in a ship from Karachi. “My late father – Mohammad Ishaq
 

Qatar ID of Khurshid's father
Butt – came to Doha as early as 1952. He was a goldsmith but got a job instead of starting his own shop. I attended an Arabic medium school named Salahuddin Al-Ayubi school. However, I left my studies after the school and started learning the art as a metalworker from an experienced goldsmith from Pakistan who has his workshop at Yasra locality.”
Khurshid used to deliver and obtain the orders for the gold jewellery from different homes as an intern. “I had a bicycle to commute those days when the roads were unpaved. It would take me around 20 minutes to reach a house or the palace in Al Rayyan from our workshop in Yasra. I still remember the awesome feeling of riding a bicycle on a bumpy and unpaved road. You cannot have those feelings today even if you are driving an SUV.”

Young Khurshid with his car
 
The resident, who has been here for about 59 years now, says there were a few jewellery shops in Doha when he was trying to master the art. “Initially, there were four goldsmiths and three of them were Bahraini and one was Pakistani – my teacher. I used to go to houses of Sheikhs to deliver and receive orders. The business would start as early in the morning as 5:30am. Even today, I reach in my shop at 5:30am and my devoted customers do visit me around 6am. I see other shop owners who open as late as 11am. They sleep late at night and that is one of the reasons for chronic diseases people suffer from nowadays.”
The goldsmith also cherishes the memories of the days when he was a young man. “There was not much to do around in Doha in 1970s and 1980s. I would roam around the city riding a motorbike and during later years driving a car. I got my driving license in 1976.
“I think it was the best time in Doha. We used to live in Doha Jadeed area. There were mud houses. Electricity was scarce and there were no air conditions. Even electric fans came much later. The weather, however, used to be less hot that time. I think the summers have become harsher due to the modern infrastructure and buildings with heavy air conditioning systems. The winters were very cold as we had to run heaters in rooms. Iranian people used to deliver water at homes. We had pitchers at home to keep water cool.”
He further said: “During the early days, the weight scale used in the market was roba that was equal to 2.5kg. Yard instead of metre was used to measure clothes and other lengths. As far as gold is concerned, we used to weight it in lira that was equal to around 7gm. First, the currency in use was Indian rupee. It was replaced by Emirati and then by Saudi currency before Qatar launched its own currency.”
Khurshid is not only a man of skills but also of resilience. He had to fight back once as he faced financial loss in his business. “It was probably in 1985 when I wound up my business in Doha and went to the UK after facing the loss. I sold my shop. I lived in the UK for two years and returned to Doha in 1987. I started with a small shop in Souq Waqif and then I purchased my current shop. My fellow businessmen told me that the shop had been very unlucky for many goldsmiths. I however adhered to my decision and started my work. I am a metalworker. I can prepare different jewellery designs with my hand. I take orders and make them ready for my customers who are overwhelmingly Qataris. It has helped me regain my business.”
Khurshid calls Qatar his home as he has scarcely lived in Pakistan. “I spent my childhood and my youth days here. I earned everything from Qatar. My kids have grown up here. My father’s house is in Sialkot but I have not visited the area for a long time as I am more than happy in Qatar.”
The goldsmith believes if someone is skillful and fair in his dealings, Qatar is the best palace to do business. “Skillful people are always welcomed here. They can have their living with peace of mind in Qatar. There is only once condition that they must be fair in their dealings and abide by the laws of the land. Though I have a house in Pakistan but I have never thought of leaving Qatar.”
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