He was the main commander during the Siege of Shkodër and became the symbol of resistance against the Serbian and Montenegrin invasion. He did his utmost to defend the town and its fortress that were under siege by Montenegrin and Serbian forces for seven months, stating "Shkodra is our fate or our grave, but not our shame".[1] However, in the midst of the siege, Hasan Riza Pasha was assassinated by agents of Essad Pasha.