Publication Ethics
Ethical Guidelines for Authors
The following ethical guidelines are obligatory for all author(s). Violations may result in the application of penalties by the Editor, including but not limited to the suspension or revocation of publishing privileges.
Reporting Standards
Authors must ensure that the research report and data contain sufficient detail to allow verification of the work. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical publishing behavior.
Originality and Plagiarism
Plagiarism in all its forms constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable. Material quoted verbatim must be placed in quotation marks and properly cited. If a similarity index exceeding 19% is identified through Turnitin, the manuscript will either be rejected (as per HEC policy) or returned to the author(s) for similarity reduction at the discretion of the Editorial Board.
Declaration
Authors are required to declare that the manuscript contains solely original work and is not under consideration for publication in any other journal or form. In the case of a co-authored manuscript, a written undertaking must be provided confirming the authorship claim and that all authors have agreed to the order of authorship.
Multiple, Redundant, and Concurrent Publication
Authors should not submit manuscripts describing essentially the same research to more than one journal or publication, except in the case of resubmission of a previously rejected or withdrawn manuscript. Concurrent submission of the same manuscript to more than one journal is unethical and unacceptable.
Acknowledgment of Sources
Manuscripts must contain proper acknowledgment of the work of others. Author(s) must acknowledge the contributions of individuals, organizations, or institutions that assisted in the research process or provided financial support. It is the responsibility of the author(s) to conduct a comprehensive literature review and cite original sources appropriately.
Authorship Credit
Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, data analysis, or writing of the manuscript. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final version of the manuscript and have agreed to its submission.
Privacy of Participants
Authors must respect the privacy of research participants. In cases where participant identity must be disclosed, explicit and informed consent must be obtained from the concerned individuals.
Data Access and Retention
Author(s) should be prepared to provide raw data to the Editor if questions arise regarding the accuracy or validity of the research during the review process. Author(s) must provide an accurate description of how images were generated or produced and ensure that they are free from manipulation.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed to the Editor at the earliest possible stage, including but not limited to employment, consultancies, honoraria, or other financial interests. All sources of financial support for the research must be clearly disclosed.
Copyright
Authors may be required to sign a CC-BY (Creative Commons Attribution) license agreement.
Manuscript Acceptance and Rejection
During the review process, author(s) may contact the Editor to inquire about the status of their manuscript. In the case of revisions, author(s) must submit a detailed response outlining all changes made. The revised manuscript will then undergo further evaluation and will be accepted or rejected accordingly. If an author is dissatisfied with a rejection decision, an appeal may be submitted by formally contacting the Editor.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
National Authors
- Processing Charges: PKR 5,000
- Publication Charges: PKR 10,000
- Total: PKR 15,000
International Authors
- Processing Charges: PKR 5,000
- Publication Charges: USD 75
Articles with at least one international affiliation are treated as international submissions.
