The bus driver who was killed in a shocking attack in Moorooka on Friday was an integral part of the Punjabi community and would be greatly missed, a close friend said.
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Video shows bus attacker
Bus driver killed in fire attack
A bus driver in Moorooka, Brisbane has died after a passenger poured a flammable liquid over the driver and set him alight. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.
Mintu Brar, a manager at Punjabi radio station Harman Radio, said he was devastated when he was told his friend, whom he considered family, was the bus driver killed in the horrific incident.
"Today when I heard I am very disappointed, I left my job," he said.
"I was really shocked and that time was really hard. My son was with me and we came back from my job."
He said Mr Alisher was a multi-talented man who contributed greatly to his community through his singing and acting.
"He was a very social guy and he wanted to create a good social society and made short films," Mr Brar said.
"As a person he was family man, only one time you met him you are thinking he is a very good guy.
"He was trying to pass on good messages with his short movies and with his singing.
"In Punjabi community, a writer, a stage performer can't earn enough money, his profession was a bus driver, the rest of the time he was very passionate about his singing, acting, social activities."
Mr Brar said he had spoken with Mr Alisher days before he died and said the community-focused man was planning to make a new film.
"He talked to me and he was telling me he was planning on making another movie and wanted to record music as well," Mr Brar said.
Mr Brar said his friend's life was cut too short.
"Last time I met him, I asked 'When are you going to marry?', I said 'You are too old'. In Indian culture, it is normal to get married when you are 25," Mr Brar said.
Punjabi Cultural Association of Queensland representative Avninder Gill said Mr Alisher was always present at local Indian festivals and was a talented young singer/songwriter.
"Any community festival or any community things, he would always go, if we had sporting events he would go there, if there was a culture night he would go there," he said.
"When he was on the stage he would sing to promote our culture and our kids can learn Punjabi through that way."
Mr Gill said the 29-year-old was engaged to marry a woman he had met in India.