London - Graeme Swann once more took wickets early in his spell to leave Pakistan 111 for four at lunch on the second day of the third Test at The Oval on Thursday.
That meant the tourists were 122 runs behind England's first innings 233.
Off-spinner Swann, with only his second ball on Thursday, had recalled opener Yasir Hameed caught behind for his overnight score of 36.
And Swann then removed stubborn nightwatchman Wahab Riaz for 27 when the impressive debutant was lbw on the sweep to the first ball of the bowler's second spell.
Swann, who took two wickets for seven runs in 24 balls, had figures at lunch of two for 12 in seven overs.
Riaz, who bats right-handed but is a left-arm quick, resisted for nearly two hours after leading the attack with five for 63 after Pakistan lost the toss on Wednesday.
Recalled former captain Mohammad Yousuf was 16 not out and Azhar Ali unbeaten on nought.
Pakistan had bowled out for record low scores against England of 80 and 72 in crushing defeats by 354 runs and nine wickets at Trent Bridge and Edgbaston respectively.
But they at last showed some first innings resistance thanks to a fourth wicket stand of 34 between Riaz and Yousuf, back following an 'indefinite ban' imposed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after he led the side on their winless tour of Australia concluded in January.
Pakistan resumed on 48 for one, a deficit of 185, after Imran Farhat had been bowled by James Anderson in the last over of Wednesday's play.
But the second ball of the day saw Steven Finn nip one off the seam to square up Hameed, with wicketkeeper Matt Prior holding the simple catch.
Pakistan captain Salman Butt, in at No 4 having previously opened this series, began nervously with a streaky boundary through the slips off Anderson.
And the left-hander was still on four when he was dropped at backward point by Eoin Morgan off a cut shot against Anderson.
Butt rarely looked at ease and was out for 17 when he edged an attempted square cut off Swann and Prior clung on at the third attempt.
England were indebted to an eighth-wicket stand of 119 between Prior (84 not out) and Stuart Broad (48) for rescuing them from the depths of 94 for seven.