The government on Friday appointed the former head of the Panamagate joint investigation team, Wajid Zia, as the new director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Zia was currently serving as the inspector general of Pakistan Railways Police under the railways' ministry.

A notification issued by the Establishment Division said Zia, a BS-21 officer of the Police Service of Pakistan, "is transferred and posted as director general, Federal Investigation Agency, under Interior Division, in his own pay and scale, with immediate effect".

The current DG FIA, Bashir Ahmed Memon, who was due to retire on December 17, has been directed to report to the Establishment Division.

Zia has previously served as the FIA additional direc­tor general (immigration) and twice in the Intelligence Bureau and Motorway Police. He also worked in the Economic Crimes Wing of the FIA and was a part of the team that probed the Haj scam.

In a flurry of other changes announced today, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, a grade-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, was transferred and posted as the Interior Division secretary with immediate effect.

The government also replaced all zonal directors of the FIA.