A court in Islamabad has granted former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan a two-week reprieve from his arrest, granting him bail on the charges.

Babar Awan, the lawyer for Khan, said the court made the decision on Friday, a day after the country’s supreme court asked it to make a ruling.

He said Khan is now “a free man”, adding that the decision was just.

Imran Khan supportersSupporters of Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan (AP)

The ruling came after Khan returned to court to hear whether he will be shielded from renewed arrest or taken back into custody – a decision that put the government and legions of Khan supporters on edge after days of violent confrontations.

However, Khan did not immediately leave the courtroom after the initial decision as the judges proceeded to deliberate whether to grant him bail in several other corruption cases filed against him.

Under Pakistan’s legal system, a person granted bail would still have to face a trial.