This study aims to identify groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) in the southern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, using three GIS-based models: Weight of Evidence (WOE), Frequency Ratio (FR), and Information Value (IV). The study area, characterized by arid to semi-arid climate and topographically part of the southern Kohat plateau, is crucial for agriculture due to its rain-dependent crops. The research utilized 12 parameters, including elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, drainage network, land use/land cover (LULC), precipitation, geology, lineament, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), road, and soil texture, integrated into ArcGIS 10.8. The GWPZ were reclassified into five classes: very low, low, medium, high, and very high. The models' reliability was validated using Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC). The WOE, FR, and IV models had success rate curves of 0.86, 0.91, and 0.87, respectively, and predicted rate curve values of 0.89, 0.93, and 0.90, respectively. The FR model was found to be the most effective for GWPZ mapping, with its findings particularly useful for managing groundwater resources in urban planning. The study's approaches can be applied in similar regions and are recommended as a tool for policymakers to manage groundwater.This study aims to identify groundwater potential zones (GWPZ) in the southern region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, using three GIS-based models: Weight of Evidence (WOE), Frequency Ratio (FR), and Information Value (IV). The study area, characterized by arid to semi-arid climate and topographically part of the southern Kohat plateau, is crucial for agriculture due to its rain-dependent crops. The research utilized 12 parameters, including elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, drainage network, land use/land cover (LULC), precipitation, geology, lineament, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), road, and soil texture, integrated into ArcGIS 10.8. The GWPZ were reclassified into five classes: very low, low, medium, high, and very high. The models' reliability was validated using Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC). The WOE, FR, and IV models had success rate curves of 0.86, 0.91, and 0.87, respectively, and predicted rate curve values of 0.89, 0.93, and 0.90, respectively. The FR model was found to be the most effective for GWPZ mapping, with its findings particularly useful for managing groundwater resources in urban planning. The study's approaches can be applied in similar regions and are recommended as a tool for policymakers to manage groundwater.