Pakistan dismissed England for 173 on a rain-affected first day of the fourth Test at the Oval.
Pakistan was 1-96 at stumps.
Pakistan put England in after winning the toss and Mohammad Asif marked his first appearance in the series by taking 4-56 and showing no ill effects from the elbow injury that kept him out of the first three Tests.
Working in tandem with Umar Gul, who took 4-46, they offered little respite for the England batsmen especially when unleashing reverse swing in the latter stages of the innings.
England lost Marcus Trescothick for six when the score was 36 and then on 54 there was the quick loss of both Andrew Strauss, who was caught behind by Kamran Akmal for 38 from Asif's bowling, and Kevin Pietersen, who fell the same way for a first-ball duck.
Alistair Cook then applied himself after losing Paul Collingwood, at 64, when he fell leg before wicket to Asif for five.
Cook top scored with 40, scored off 69 balls, while down the order Chris Read hit 33 and Sajid Mahmood 15.
England didn't make life any easier for itself when Trescothick and Cook each dropped Mohammad Yousuf before he reached double figures.
Pakistan made a comfortable start, reaching 35 when Mohammad Haveez, on eight, had to retire hurt with a knee problem. His replacement Younis Khan provided England with its only success when he gloved a ball from Mahmood to be caught behind for nine.
Opener Imran Farhat was unbeaten on 56 at stumps with Yousuf on 12.
