Though it was repelled, the incident is part of a worrying trend of increased assaults on military targets and a rise in extremist violence more generally.
For nearly a decade, the country had seemingly broken the cycle of violence, but extremist groups have bounced back since the Taliban regained control in neighboring Afghanistan.
An explosion at a political rally on Sunday in northwest Pakistan killed at least 35 people and injured 200 more, officials said, the latest sign of the deteriorating security situation in Pakistan, where some militant groups have become more active over the past two years.
The attack raised fears of a new wave of militancy from the Pakistani Taliban and sparked a heated debate over the government’s ability to meet that threat amid an economic and political crisis.