Pakistan, in reply to New Zealand's first innings total of 274, were 139-3 at close on the second day of the third and final Test in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.
Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 62 at the close with Asad Shafiq on 26. Pakistan still trail by 135 runs with seven wickets intact.
BJ Watling scored an unbeaten 77 to carry New Zealand to 274 after resuming at 229-7. Off-spinner Bilal Asif took 5-65 while leg-spinner Yasir Shah finished with 3-75.
During his five-and-a-half-hour knock Watling, when on 66, passed 3,000 runs in his 56th Test. He is the 14th New Zealand batsman to score 3,000 or more runs, joining a list topped by Stephen Fleming who scored 7,172 in 111 Tests.
Yasir Shah, in his 33rd Test, failed to add to his three wickets on Monday, leaving him two short of becoming the fastest man to reach 200 Test scalps.
The current record has stood for 82 years after Australia's Clarrie Grimmett reached 200 wickets in 36 Tests in 1936.
The three-match series is tied at 1-1.