Unintelligent move.

IF Imran Khan is to be believed, Pakistan's intelligence agencies have been compromised. It is a stunning admission coming from a former prime minister - even more so because he does not appear to realise that is what the statement amounts to.

On Monday, during an interview with an American news channel, the PTI chairman claimed he had obtained advance warning from 'within the intelligence agencies' about an assassination attempt against him. He added that the information was given to him 'because most people are appalled by what is going on in this country', implying it was malcontents within the intelligence that had warned him about the 'plot'.

Through this remark, Mr Khan gave further clarity to the claim he had made from his hospital bed on Friday that he had prior warning of a planned attempt on his life for which he held three individuals - the incumbent prime minister, the interior minister and a serving major general - responsible.

Read more: PM asks for full court to look into Imran's assassination claims

There are two aspects to this very significant statement broadcast to an international audience on Monday. Firstly, if Mr Khan had prior intimation of such a plot, then by embarking on the 'long march' regardless and, especially, without taking necessary commonsense precautions, he placed himself and all those present at grave risk of harm. That was irresponsible in the extreme.

Secondly, Mr Khan has in effect let slip there is a mole (perhaps more than one) inside the intelligence apparatus circumventing the command structure to reveal his organisation's operational details to someone outside the system, which the PTI chairman...