Khurram Manzoor and Mohd Yousuf struck determined fifties but could not prevent Pakistan surrendering the advantage.
Opener Manzoor made a 93 and Yousuf hit 90, the two helping Pakistan recover from the loss of two quick wickets in the morning session with a 167-run stand for the third wicket on the first day of the final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
The pair were dismissed within seven runs of each other when facing the second new ball as Pakistan slumped from 203 for three to 289 for seven at stumps.
Left-arm paceman Thilan Thushara, who claimed the wickets of Fawad Alam and Younus Khan in the morning, snared another in the final session, while Nuwan Kulasekara picked up two scalps with the second new ball.
Kamran Akmal and Danish Kaneria, both on one, were unbeaten at the crease at the close.
Sri Lanka skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss but his decision to field under overcast skies looked questionable when openers Alam and Manzoor made a solid start.
Manzoor began with an edged boundary, and while new-ball bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Kulasekara occasionally went past the outside edge, the openers saw off the shine confidently.
Thushara secured the breakthrough just inside the first hour, sending back Alam and captain Younus in the space of three deliveries.
Alam had made 16 when he dangled his bat to one directed in the corridor and the edge flew to wicketkeeper Tillakaratne Dilshan.
Younus began his innings with a confident straight drive which yielded a couple of runs, but his stay at the crease was brief as he dragged a short and wide delivery on to his off stump while attempting to cut.
The two quick wickets raised fears of another Pakistan batting slump, but Manzoor and Yousuf steadied nerves with a risk-free approach.
The duo safely carried Pakistan into the lunch interval without further loss and consolidated with a tediously slow but steady performance in the afternoon session.
Sangakkara shuffled his bowlers around, pressing left-arm spinner Rangana Herath into the attack once Yousuf came to the crease.
The two built a solid foundation with Manzoor reaching his second Test half century with consecutive boundaries off Thushara and Yousuf reaching his 29th with a couple of runs through the covers.
Yousuf had a lucky escape on 57 when an edge off Kulasekara flew low through the slip cordon, just wide of Angelo Mathews, but the home side struck twice in quick succession in the final session.
Vaas, who will retire from Test cricket at the end of this game, scalped Manzoor, getting the batsman to edge one to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip.
Yousuf was joined in the middle by Misbah but their association was brief as the former was run out while attempting a quick single after an overthrow.
Shoaib Malik kept Sri Lanka's bowlers at bay for a while in an aggressive knock which was ended when he was trapped in front by Thushara just five short of a half century.
Kulasekara then got into the act, getting rid of Misbah for 27 with just minutes remaining in the final session.
Umar Gul fell three deliveries later, dragging one back onto his stumps while attempting a drive.
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