## 1 Introduction  
Seismic events are natural occurrences that can result in fatalities and significant damage to infrastructure, including lateral spreading, building settlement, and bearing capacity failures. They also disrupt communities and have long-lasting effects on the economy and society [1, 2]. Even with remarkable strides in scientific research and an improved understanding of earthquake effects, recent seismic events have still resulted in numerous failures [3]. The seismically induced strong ground motions in the Turkey-Syria region led to lateral spreading and ground subsidence in the Holocene sediments, resulting in excessive settlement and the bearing capacity failures of soils beneath foundation units [4]. According to the Republic of Turkriye Strategy and Budget Presidency Report, the doublet earthquake sequence resulted in tragic outcomes for 14 million people across 10 provinces.  
As of 6 March 2023, the report documented over 48,000 fatalities, 108,300 injuries, half a million damaged buildings, and 35,355 collapsed buildings [5].  
An efficient design for earthquake resistance integrates engineering principles and strategies with the goal of reducing foundation and structural damage, safeguarding human life, and enhancing the resilience of built environments [6]. A site-specific ground response analysis (SSGRA) is essential for understanding how local soil conditions behave under seismic loading. Local geology can significantly amplify or dampen these waves, affecting ground shaking during an earthquake [7]. By evaluating seismic wave interactions with local soils, an SSGRA provides critical data for designing earthquake-resistant structures, ensuring that they can withstand specific seismic demands, enhancing safety, and reducing damage [8]. In economically significant urban areas, an SSGRA is crucial for mitigating the seismic risk and aiding in the development of robust disaster response and recovery plans [9]. Therefore, the precise prediction of soil behavior through an SSGRA is vital for assessing seismic hazards of existing structures and designing new ones, especially in earthquake-prone regions [10].  
Despite their importance, relatively few ground response studies have been conducted in Pakistan, particularly in its major economic hubs [11; 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 17]. To address critical knowledge and research gaps, this study followed the local seismic design code standards by performing a thorough site-specific evaluation at distinct locations, contributing to a broader compliance framework for seismic hazard assessments. A parametric study was performed using the DEEPSOIL v7.0 program [18], employing the generalized quadratic/hyperbolic (GQ/H) constitutive soil model [19] for NL analyses.  
While DEEPSOIL was used as the key analytical tool, this study specifically tailored its application to the MSZ, addressing the region's distinct seismic features and geological conditions. This study encompasses site-specific assessments of the amplification characteristics in the Gwadar area, responding to a crucial gap in regional seismic studies. Additionally, the findings offer important perspectives on the applicability of the BCP:2021, identify discrepancies between computed ground responses and code recommendations, and provide guidance for seismic assessments in comparable subduction zone settings.