ISLAMABAD – Renowned nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan may try his hand at politics to rescue a country he says has become worse than a banana republic.The founder of Pakistan’s nuclear programme may have some appeal ahead of elections due next year.  “I want to bring change and help the people of Pakistan, like I did back in 1974, when India test fired its nukes,” Khan told Reuters in an interview at his heavily guarded Islamabad home. “Now, today, once again this country needs my help.”Khan’s new movement, Tehreek-e-Tahafuz Pakistan, is urging the South Asian nation’s youth to be heard through national elections and break the stranglehold of traditional political dynasties.The 76-year-old scientist says Pakistan’s young people should stop wasting time watching ‘useless’ current affairs talk shows which dominate the airwaves every night and purge the country of corrupt politicians through the ballot box.“The youth is 47 per cent of this country’s population, they can bring the change,” said Khan, sitting in his study, near swords given to him by heads of state hanging on walls and Urdu poetry books on shelves.“They should realise the importance of their vote and select those people in the next election who are clean.”Khan said his movement would register as an official political party if it gained momentum. So far, it is winning support from businessmen in the commercial capital, Karachi, as well as from a religious party, students and others.“Lots of army officers ... a large number, believe that I have done my best for this country, they respect me,” he said.Khan appeared healthy and said he gets a check-up every day from a nurse. He said he gets up at 6:30am, never misses prayers and reads newspapers and makes calls. In the afternoon, friends often drop by to see him, he said.AQ Khan seems determined to change what many see as a stale political landscape that has held the country back.“All the previous promises have not come true. People are jobless. They have no food to feed themselves. This country is even worse than a banana republic,” said Khan.Pakistan could face the same fate as Arab states which were swept by revolts if more effective leaders were not elected, he said.“Let me tell you to come out of the fantasy that nothing will happen to this country because it was conceived in the name of God,” he said.“All the Arab and Middle East and other Muslim states were created with the same ideology but what happened to them?”Qadeer Khan says he has received invitations to lecture at universities and he intends to make road trips to visit supporters.“So far, 1.5 million people from all over Pakistan have contacted us,” he said.“I am at the moment only enticing people to come forward and bring change through their vote by selecting good people,” said Khan, who has a dog and nine cats, and feeds dozens of wild monkeys that descend on his garden and pool from nearby hills. “It looks difficult but if people start joining bit-by-bit it can get successful.”