Pakistan captain Azhar Ali led from the front by scoring a defiant 141 but England still enforced the follow on at Southampton on Sunday.
Anderson, who reduced Pakistan to 24-3 overnight, needed just six deliveries to remove Asad Shafiq after the out of form batsman edged to Root at first slip.
Azhar along with Fawad Alam steadied the ship by adding 45 runs for the fifth wicket stand, before off-spinner Dom Bess extracted turn and bounce and Jos Buttler took a fine catch to dismiss Fawad for 21.
Mohammad Rizwan along with skipper brought the innings back on track with a valuable 138 run stand for the sixth wicket, before being Rizwan was strangled down the leg side by Chris Woakes for a well made 53.
Stuart Broad dismissed tailender Shaheen Afridi to a brilliant one handed diving catch down the leg side for 3.
England in fading light, then dropped three relatively easy catches much to Anderson’s despair- 1. Rory Burns grasped a relatively easy chance at the slip cordon when Azhar edged a drive on 116.
2. Zak Crawley who scored a maiden double century made a rare mistake, as he dropped Mohammad Abbas on duck.
3. Broad at mid on dropped a dolly off opposition skipper, before throwing the ball in frustration and running out Abbas for one.
The run of dropped catches off veteran’s bowling ended when he dismissed last man Naseem Shah who was taken by Dom Sibley at slip, as Pakistan were bowled out for 273, with still 310 runs behind England’s imposing score of 583-8 at the end of Day 3.
England skipper Joe Root enforced the follow-on, though the umpires decided that the light was unsafe for the tourists to begin their second innings.
Anderson was England’s successful bowler with 5 wickets, while Broad picked up two.
Stumps at the end of Day 3.
Pakistan 273 all out. (Azhar Ali 141*, Mohammad Rizwan 53)
James Anderson- 5/56.