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An astonishing collapse by the hosts in their second innings saw them go to tea on the fourth day on 56-5, just two runs ahead of Pakistan who had been dismissed for 466 just after lunch.
But Zimbabwe lived to fight until the final day thanks to a gutsy ninth-wicket stand worth 66 between Taibu (58) and Kyle Jarvis.
The hosts will resume their second innings on 135, a lead of 81.
Zimbabwe will have been relieved to pass their lowest Test total, 54 against South Africa in Cape Town in 2005.
The Zimbabweans had more than held their own over the first three days but that effort seemed to have taken its toll as their top order batsmen surrendered their wickets all too easily with captain Brendan Taylor out for five for his sixth successive failure. Tinotenda Mawoyo barely made it to double figues as he went for 12.
The match looked on a plate for Pakistan, especially when the score for Zimbabwe stood at 69 for eight, providing a trifling lead of 15 with two wickets left.
But the irrepressible Taibu was having none of it, especially when Jarvis dug in as well.
The recovery game is one that Taibu often plays well.
He is small but stubborn and skilful in desperate situations, as he has shown before.
His present effort is a hopeless cause, most likely, but one worth taking up for the sake of the record books.
The story of the day began in late afternoon when Zimbabwe set out to wipe off their 54-run deficit.
But they fell into a heap of broken wickets. Vusi Sibanda was caught trying to hook, then came Mawoyo’s exit on 12, 151 runs short of his first innings effort.