After Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl on a muggy morning following a rain delay, Abbas took full advantage of the conditions to wreck England's top-order.
A stunning spell of 3-34 before lunch, including the removal of England skipper Joe Root, put Pakistan in command with the hosts reeling on 4-80 at lunch.
But England, led by half-centuries from Jordan Cox and Jamie Smith, responded to move towards a respectable total, especially against a Pakistan side whose batting was ruthlessly exposed in a heavy defeat at Leeds.
Cox dug in for 55 while Smith made an aggressive 61 as England recovered from 5-120.
Gus Atkinson swung the bat late on for an unbeaten 34 before bad light forced an early close.
The vastly experienced Abbas would have rubbed his hands when captain Babar Azam, back after missing the first Test defeat, called right to win a delayed toss.
Eight years ago at Lord's, Abbas claimed eight wickets in a Pakistan victory and he found conditions to his liking again as he went about his business in skilful fashion.
He made the breakthrough with the last ball of his third over when Emilio Gay tried to flick a leg-side ball off his pads but was caught by a diving Mohammad Rizwan behind the stumps.
Ben Duckett looked to be aggressive but was undone when on 17 as Abbas jagged a ball back that trapped him on his back foot and was given out lbw on review.
Root was dropped on one but did not make Pakistan pay as he was trapped plumb lbw by Abbas.
Harry Brook was next to go, bowled by a peach of an inswinger by Mohammad Ali as England limped to lunch.
Cox, batting calmly at three, was joined by Dan Lawrence and they were digging in until Lawrence set off for a risky single and was run out by Rizwan after some sharp fielding by Shan Masood.
It took an extraordinary slip catch by substitute fielder and former captain Salman Agha to remove Cox, clinging on one-handed to an edged drive off Khurram Shahzad.
Smith was looking dangerous but fell to Ali who then bowled Ollie Robinson two balls later for a duck.
Abbas took his fourth wicket as Jofra Archer slogged across the line after making 14 but Atkinson was still there swinging as England repaired some of the earlier damage in the murk.
