US Lieutenant General Michael Shields, who heads an organisation which supports the Pakistan Army's efforts in improving counter-IED exploitation capabilities, led a four-member delegation to Pakistan this week, a press release issued by the US Embassy said on Friday.

Lt Gen Shields serves as the director of the Department of Defense’s Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organisation (JIDO), which provides support for counter-IED bilateral engagements and training,

During his visit, Lt Gen Shields met with the chairman of the Pakistani Army’s Counter Improvised Explosive Device Organization (CIEDO) to discuss military cooperation between the United States and Pakistan, the press release added.

“I greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet with Pakistani leaders to discuss our mutual efforts to combat the IED threat,” the press release quoted Lt Gen Shields as saying.

“It is a complex issue that requires all of our collective efforts. I look forward to continuing our collaboration with Pakistan and with CIEDO," the official added.

During the visit, Gen Shields also visited the Counter IED, Explosives, and Munitions School (CEMS) at the Military College of Engineering in Risalpur, according to the statement.

The commandant of the Military College of Engineering briefed Lt Gen Shields on the college's efforts to train soldiers to detect and neutralize IEDs and other emerging battlefield and operational threats, the press release stated.

Lt Gen Shields also met with Chief of Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Director General Military operations Maj Gen Sahir Shamshad Mirza and officials from the interior ministry, the press release said.