Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail led Pakistan to 59/2 at the end of Day 1 to put the hosts in the driving seat of the first Test in Abu Dhabi after the bowlers knocked New Zealand over for 153.
Having lost the toss and asked to bowl first, Pakistan did superbly to bowl the visitors out by tea.
Openers Mohammad Hafeez and Imam-ul-Haq were then dismissed cheaply, giving the Kiwis hope they could mount a comeback, but Ali and Sohail made sure there were no further setbacks.
Earlier, Pakistan pacers Mohammad Abbas and Hasan Ali induced a collapse from New Zealand after lunch, as they went from their lunchtime score of 81/3.
Abbas got the well-set Henry Nicholls, who had battled for 78 balls for his 28, before Hasan Ali strangled Kiwi captain Kane Williamson, who top-scored for New Zealand with 63, with a leg-side bouncer and then trapped Colin de Grandhomme LBW the very next ball.
Haris Sohail picked up the wickets of Ish Sodhi and BJ Watling soon after, before Bilal Asif and Yasir Shah wrapped up the tail. All told, New Zealand went from 111/3 to 153 all out.
New Zealand had ended the first session at 81/3 after choosing to bat.
In-form pacer Abbas picked up the first wicket for the hosts, that of opener Jeet Raval, before leg-spinner Yasir Shah got into the act, first getting Raval’s opening partner Tom Latham and then taking out Ross Taylor cheaply.
Williamson then steadied the ship along with Nicholls, with Williamson ending the session unbeaten on 40 after a solid innings.
In the morning, fit-again skipper Williamson won the toss and opted to bat in order to avoid having to bat last on a pitch that is expected to turn.
Williamson missed the last one-day international in Dubai on Sunday with a groin injury.
New Zealand handed a Test debut to 30-year-old left-arm spinner Ajaz Patel, leaving out paceman Tim Southee.
Pakistan’s opener Imam-ul-Haq returned to the side after missing the second Test against Australia in Abu Dhabi with a finger injury.
The second Test is in Dubai from November 24-28 and the third in Abu Dhabi from December 3-7.
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