Pakistan claimed four wickets in the middle session to reduce New Zealand to 160-5 at tea on Friday's opening day of the first test.
Brendon McCullum and Martin Guptill made half-centuries in contrasting style, but when Guptill fell just before the interval, Pakistan firmly took the upper hand after they sent New Zealand in to bat.
Tim McIntosh (1) was the first man to fall, caught at second slip by Younis Khan off the bowling of Tanvir Ahmed, bringing together Guptill and McCullum for an 83-run stand.
McCullum notched his 18th half century in tests with an assertive 56 off 77 balls, with seven fours and two sixes. He was out caught by Azhar Ali off Umar Gul.
Gul earlier had a confident appeal for a catch behind against McCullum turned down during the morning session and the New Zealand opener had also survived a caught behind appeal by Wahab Riaz. Television replays suggested McCullum edged the first and gloved the second but the umpire review system is not in use in this series.
Ross Taylor (6) top-edged an Abdur Rehman short ball to the wicketekeeper, while Jesse Ryder (22) was run out with the total at 135 when he backed up too far at the non-striker's end and a straight drive by Guptill was deflected onto the stumps by Riaz.
Guptill's very patient knock _ his 50 runs came from 164 balls _ ended when he hit a full toss from spinner Rehman (2-32) directly to Pakistan captain Misbah ul-Haq at cover.
Kane Williamson on 12 and Reece Young on two were the not out batsmen at the break. The youngster Williamson is the last of New Zealand's specialist batsmen. Wicketkeeper Reece Young made his test debut, becoming New Zealand's 250th test cricketer in what was also his 100th first class match.
