Haroon Islam Lieutenant Colonel Haroon Islam was a colonel in the Pakistan Army ' s Special Service Group ( also known as Black Storks ) who was killed during Operation Silence . He was a commanding officer of the Operation Sun Rise while commanding the Zarrar Anti Terrorist Unit . He was killed in a fierce fighting which took place inside the Red Mosque Complex while leading a small force of 150 SSG members . The Special Service Group successfully took over the complex . On March 23 , 2008 , he was posthumously awarded the second high civilian award , Hilal - e - Shujaat ( Crescent of Bravery ) by the President of Pakistan . Biography . Haroon was born into a military family . His father himself was a SSGN officer who had also participated in Indo - Pakistani War of 1971 . His younger brother is an Assistant Director in the FIA while another brother , Major Ehtisham - ul - Islam , is a retired Army Officer . Haroon Islam possessed many God - gifted qualities ; like , he was an extremely witty and lively person with an inspiring and chrismatic personality . Any body meeting him once would never forget him ever in his life . He was a thorough professional and knew the art and science of Anti terrorist operations . Apart from professional virtues , he also encompassed the eliments of hospitality , generosity and magnanimity in his personality . He joined and gained commission in the 3rd Battalion of the Sindh Regiment of Pakistan Army in 1988 . He is a graduate of Command and Staff College , Quetta in 1993 and joined Pakistan Army ' s elite special forces branch SSG ( Special Service Group ) in 1993 . He had a successful military career and according to some military sources a soldier of his calibre was bound to be a General . In 1998 , his unit was deployed in Kargil , and had participated in Kargil War where he had led successful military operations . In recognition of his services , he was awarded Chief of Army Staff Commendation Medal . During his career with the SSG , he commanded the elite " Zarrar Company " ( The anti - terrorist unit of the SSG ) . Operation Silence . In 2007 , the conflict between Lal Masjid and the Government of Pakistan deepened , and the Government of Pakistan decided to launch a military operation against the Islamic extremists and Taliban terrorists . In July 2007 , one of SSG battalion was assigned to a mission to capture and take absolute control of [ Red Mosque ] from Islamic extremists and Taliban militants . To achieve this task , the Pakistan Army assigned this task to 7th Commando Zarrar Battalion of SSG led by Lt . Col . Haroon Islam and the Pakistan Army Rangers | Army Rangers ' Anti - Terrorist Company ( ATC ) led by Major Tariq Anees . The operation , codename : Operation Silence , was launched in July 3 , 2007 and the commanding officer of the mission Lieutenant Colonel | Lt . Col . Haroon Islam was killed on the midnight of 8 July 2007 two days after having been hit by small arms fire while commanding the raid on Lal Masjid in Islamabad . The Second - in - Command Army Ranger ' s Major Tariq Anees was also seriously wounded . Reports indicate that he was hit while planting explosives on the outer perimeter wall of the complex . The shooter was Muhammad Maqsood , guard of Maulana Abdul Rashid Ghazi . He was killed in the retaliatory fire by the security forces . Free fall accident . Previously in his life , he survived a potentially fatal free fall accident when his parachute entangled with another . He not only survived the accident but became fit enough to rejoin the SSG . He was also a graduate of the prestigious Command and Staff College , Quetta . Because of his meritorious services , he had been awarded Chief of Army Staff Commendation Card . In mourning . His death has left a deep legacy in Special Services Group . While he gained a respected place in SSG Division , on behalf of Prime minister Shaukat Aziz and the federal cabinet , a two member delegation consisting of Additional Secretary ( Cabinet Division ) Saeed Ahmad Khan and Joint Secretary ( Cabinet Committee ) Muhammad Zahid Khan visited the widow of Colonel Haroon Islam . On July 8 , 2007 , President and Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Musharraf , Vice Chief of Army Staff General Ahsan Saleem Hyat and a large number of other senior civil and military officers and relatives of the martyred officer had attended the Namaz - e - Janaza held at Chaklala , Pakistan . The Pakistan Army presented Guard of honour to Shaheed Lieutenant Colonel Haroon - ul - Islam . Later , his body was sent to Lahore for burial . He is buried in Military cemetery graveyard , Lahore .