Joe Root's side, who did not win in seven Tests over the winter and have endured long-standing problems with their top order, succumbed to a string of poor shots.
On a cloudy morning and faced with a green-tinged surface, Root opted to bat on winning the toss, only for his team to be undone by a Pakistan pace quartet that exposed their shortcomings.
Former skipper Alastair Cook, who has struggled for consistency, made 70, but England lost their last five wickets for 16 runs.
Opening bowler Mohammad Abbas took 4-23 and Hasan Ali, a star of Pakistan's Champions Trophy triumph in the UK last year, picked up 4-51.
The tourists found themselves batting in the evening gloom, yet were taken to 50-1 by Azhar Ali and Haris Sohail, the latter dropped on 16 by Ben Stokes off Mark Wood.
The suspicion is that Pakistan are stronger with the ball than with the bat, but, with sunshine forecast for Friday and the pitch likely to get better for batting, the tourists have the opportunity to take a firm grip on this match.
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