New Zealand were all out for 274 in their first innings Tuesday after resuming at 229-7 on the second day of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi.
Wicketkeeper batsman BJ Watling scored an unbeaten 77 in a fighting knock during which he passed 3,000 runs in his 56th Test.
Watling became the 14th New Zealand batsmen to score 3,000 or more runs when he reached 66, joining a list topped by Stephen Fleming who scored 7,172 runs in 111 Tests.
For Pakistan, off-spinner Bilal Asif finished with 5-46 and Yasir Shah took 3-75, leaving him needing two more to become the fastest player to reach 200 Test wickets.
Resuming at 229 for 7, Watling and debutant Will Somerville prolonged their eighth-wicket stand to 44 as New Zealand inched to 253 for 7 in the first hour of the day.
Watling did all the scoring, adding 24 runs as Pakistan used pace and spin in a bid to make the breakthrough.
Somerville, at the other end has not added to his overnight score, but defied Yasir Shah to delay the leg-spinner’s attempt to become the fastest player ever to take 200 Test wickets.
Yasir, who bagged three wickets on Monday, needs two more to complete 200 wickets in his 33rd Test and beat the record currently held by Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett whose 200th wicket came in his 36th Test match in 1936.