## 6 Conclusions  
The 1945 (M\({}_{\mathrm{w}}\) 8.1) and 2017 (M\({}_{\mathrm{w}}\) 6.3) Pasni earthquakes were significant seismic events in the history of the MSZ, and they had a substantial impact on the local population and infrastructure. These events have raised concerns about the potential for an increased risk of future megathrust failures. The Gwadar region holds significant strategic value and is situated along the tectonically active boundary of the MSZ. The Smart Port City Master Plan (2017-2050) for Gwadar outlines extensive infrastructure development under the CPEC. To ensure sustainable development, informed policies and engineering practices are needed to mitigate the seismic hazards in this region. The findings of the current study are summarized in the following conclusions:  
* The borehole logs identified the occurrence of cohesionless soils and near-surface water table depths in the region. Therefore, conducting liquefaction studies in the study region is recommended. * It is important to note that, for sites comprising very soft soils, particularly S-5 and S-6, the spectral acceleration values were de-amplified for short periods of up to 0.64 s and amplified thereafter. Since high-rise buildings have longer natural periods, the ground motions could have a significant impact on both new and existing structures situated on soft soils. * The BCP:2021 underestimated the response amplification for site profiles classified as Site Class D in the period range from 0.2 to 0.85 s, while it overestimated the response across the entire period range up to 1.4 s for Site Class E. Therefore, the seismic design code of Pakistan needs to be modified to better address soil-specific amplification effects in seismic designs. * The simulation results showed that the shear stress ratio and PGA values vary with depth. Therefore, soil amplification characteristics should be considered when determining the optimal type and location of footing. * The seismic site coefficients Fa and Fv were found to differ from those specified in BCP:2021 for both stiff and soft site profiles. Therefore, it is advisable to reassess the Fa and Fv values and their period ranges in the study area for real-scale design purposes. * The comparison between the code spectra and the proposed design spectra revealed notable differences across the entire period range. Consequently, a site-specific ground response analysis in the study area is recommended. Given the long-term seismic risk, this study emphasizes the need for strategic infrastructure development in the MSZ and similar environments. Future studies should focus on setting up surveillance stations throughout the MSZ to observe earthquake activity and ground motions, aiding updates to infrastructure standards and design codes. Additionally, implementing seismic-resistant designs, creating seismic hazard maps, adopting seismic risk-based zoning strategies, and retrofitting existing infrastructure are essential next steps to reduce vulnerability. Moreover, using advanced 2D and 3D seismic models is vital for capturing complex ground responses and subsurface variability. These measures will strengthen infrastructure resilience, especially in the MSZ and similar subduction zone environments. Conceptualization, H.R., N.A. and T.H.J. ; methodology, H.R., N.A. and M.U.Q. ; software, H.R., M.A. and M.U.Q. ; formal analysis, H.R., M.A. and M.U.Q. ; investigation, H.R. ; data curation, H.R. and M.A. ; writing--original draft preparation, H.R. ; writing--review and editing, N.A., M.A, T.H.J. and M.U.Q. ; visualization, H.R., M.A. and M.U.Q. ; supervision, N.A. and M.A. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. This research received no external funding. Not applicable. The dataset is available from the authors upon request. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.