After being criticized for being unable to defend 342 runs in the first test, the Sri Lankan spinners tightened their lines and bowled to good lengths to help the hosts to an 187-run lead in their bid to even the three-match series.
Off-spinner Ramesh Mendis ran through Pakistan's middle order to finish 3-42.
Agha Salman, who debuted in the opening match, was the brightest of the Pakistani batters with his first half-century. He made 62 before being dismissed on the final ball of the day when he edged to Dhananjaya de Silva at first slip off the bowling of Prabath Jayasuriya.
Sri Lanka right-arm quick Asitha Fernando, who had been sidelined after testing positive for COVID-19, had a good comeback as he dismissed Abdullah Shafique with the second ball of the innings. Shafique poked at a delivery he could have left alone and ended up getting a thick inside edge onto his stumps.
Jayasuriya claimed the big wicket of Babar Azam (16) when the Pakistan captain was bowled off an inside edge while de Silva dismissed Imam-ul-Haq (32).
Mendis then claimed three quick wickets. He had Mohammad Rizwan and Fawad Allam leg before wicket for identical scores of 24 before Mohammed Nawaz (12) was caught behind.
Sri Lanka posted 378 in its first innings after resuming on the overnight score of 315-6.
Fast bowler Naseem Shah accounted for both overnight batters — Dunith Wellalage (11) and Niroshan Dickwella (51) — while Mendis was the last man dismissed for 35.
Naseem Shah and Yasir Shah finished with three wickets apiece.
De Silva is stand-in captain for Sri Lanka after Dimuth Karunaratne withdrew because of back spasms. Sri Lanka team manager Mahinda Halangoda said he is doubtful for the remainder of the game.
The second test was shifted from Colombo to Galle because of the political unrest in the country.
There have been several protests in the capital Colombo, forcing the government to impose Emergency Law. Earlier this month, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to flee the country and resigned after an uprising following the economic crisis.
There's a severe shortage of essential items such as cooking gas, fuel and medicine in the country.
