Left-hander Lara, who moved into fourth place in the all-time standings for Test centurions, ended the day unbeaten on 125 to leave West Indies just 99 runs short of the Pakistan total of 374.
The dismissal of captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul for 28 in the final over, caught behind off leg spinner Danish Kaneria, gave Pakistan some hope after a day dominated by a Lara special.
Earlier, fast bowler Corey Collymore took seven for 78 to help bowl out Pakistan for 374 after they resumed on 336 for six.
The 36-year-old Lara, who scored 130 in his side's victory in the first test in Barbados, closed in on Indians Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar (34 each) and Australian Steve Waugh (32) in the all-time list of Test century-makers.
Lara struck 16 fours and two sixes as he went ahead of Donald Bradman's tally of 29 centuries in his 117th match.
He has now scored four hundreds in his last five matches, including two against South Africa this season.
IMPORTANT WICKET
Although Kaneria claimed the important wicket of Chanderpaul, who scored 92 and 153 in Barbados, the wrist spinner suffered at the hands of Lara, who hammered 50
Lara was also severe on Rana Naved, hitting him for three successive boundaries as he batted skilfully on a pitch of variable bounce.
The unpredictable bounce led to the dismissals of openers Chris Gayle (33), caught behind off Abdul Razzaq, and Devon Smith (25), bowled by a Razzaq shooter immediately after lunch.
However, Lara regained control for the home side as added 146 for the third wicket with Ramnaresh Sarwan (55) and 70 for the fourth with Chanderpaul.
Sarwan was dismissed for his 22nd Test fifty after tea, attempting a pull off Shabbir Ahmed and holing out to Kaneria at deep square leg.
Earlier in the day, Collymore became only the fifth West Indian bowler to have take seven or more wickets in an innings on at least two occasions.
He claimed match-winning figures of seven for 57 against Sri Lanka in Kingston in 2003.
