ISLAMABAD – The man who made Pakistan into a nuclear power and later admitted to leaking atomic secrets to Iran, North Korea and Libya is going into politics, aiming to shake up the country ahead of national elections.

That could provoke some grumbling in the United States, where Abdul Qadeer Khan is viewed as a pariah. At home, however, he is a national hero for his pivotal role in developing nuclear weapons and has been lionized by Islamists for making Pakistan the world’s only Muslim nuclear power.

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Abdul Qadeer Khan, viewed as a pariah in the U.S. and a national hero in Pakistan, aims to shake up the country politically. The Associated Press

It’s unclear whether the 76-year-old nuclear scientist will be able to translate this public adoration into political support.

The goal of Khan’s new movement – Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Pakistan, or Movement for Protection of Pakistan – is not to field candidates, but to encourage young Pakistanis to participate in upcoming elections and reject “incompetent politicians,” Khan told The Associated Press during an interview Tuesday.

National elections are scheduled to take place by June 2013, although they could be called earlier.

“The leaders of most of the big political parties are robbers and corrupt,” said Khan, who announced his new movement this week.

He took aim at President Asif Ali Zardari, co-leader of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, head of the main opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-N.

A senior politician from Sharif’s party, Zafarul Haq, said the group had always tried to field honest and capable candidates.

Fawad Chaudhry, an adviser to Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, who is also from the ruling party, dismissed Khan’s criticism.

“I am surprised over his allegations against the top political leadership of Pakistan, and I want to remind Dr. Qadeer that at least no politician has sold uranium or nuclear technology to other countries,” said Chaudhry.

Khan could have difficulty achieving his political goals because the government limits his movement.

He was detained in 2003 and admitted on television in 2004 that he operated a network that spread nuclear weapons technology to Iran, North Korea and Libya.

Pakistan has insisted that Khan’s proliferation network has been shut down, but the U.S. still has concerns because American investigators have never been able to question him.

The U.S. is especially worried about Iran’s nuclear program amid fears the country could one day seek to build a nuclear bomb.

After Khan admitted leaking atomic secrets, he was immediately pardoned by former President Gen. Pervez Musharraf and placed under de facto house arrest.

The government ended his house arrest in 2009 but still limits his movement to some extent.

The scientist said he would visit schools and convene seminars in Pakistan’s major cities, but would not hold public rallies.

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