Withdrawal Policy

1. Purpose of the Withdrawal Policy: The Withdrawal Policy of the Pakistan Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Research (PJAIMR) outlines the procedures and conditions under which an article can be withdrawn after submission or acceptance. This policy is designed to maintain the integrity and quality of the journal, ensure transparent publishing practices, and protect the rights of authors, reviewers, and the readership.

2. Withdrawal of Manuscripts Before Acceptance: Authors have the right to withdraw their manuscript at any stage prior to formal acceptance by the journal. The following conditions apply to manuscript withdrawals before acceptance:

  • Notification of Withdrawal: The corresponding author must notify the editorial office in writing (via email) that they wish to withdraw their manuscript. This notification should include the manuscript ID, title, and reasons for withdrawal.

  • Timing of Withdrawal: Manuscripts can be withdrawn at any time before the formal acceptance notice is issued. However, if the manuscript has been sent for peer review or has received reviewer comments, the editorial office will request a reason for the withdrawal.

  • Consequences of Withdrawal: Once a manuscript is withdrawn, it will not be considered for publication in PJAIMR, and the authors may choose to submit the manuscript to another journal.

3. Withdrawal of Manuscripts After Acceptance: Once a manuscript has been accepted for publication, it may only be withdrawn under specific circumstances, which include but are not limited to:

  • Author Requests: If an author requests to withdraw an accepted manuscript, the following conditions will apply:

    • Justification for Withdrawal: A formal written request must be made to the editorial office, including a valid reason for the withdrawal (e.g., discovery of major errors, conflicts of interest, ethical concerns).

    • Review Process: The editorial office will assess the request, considering the stage of publication (e.g., pre-press, proofing, etc.). If the manuscript has already been published online or in print, it may not be withdrawn except under exceptional circumstances.

    • Consequences of Withdrawal: If the manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, the authors may be subject to a withdrawal fee, depending on the extent of the work already done (e.g., typesetting, proofing).

4. Withdrawal After Publication: After a manuscript is officially published (either online or in print), it cannot be withdrawn, except in cases of serious ethical concerns, such as:

  • Retraction: If there is evidence of misconduct, fraud, or ethical violations, the manuscript will be subject to retraction. The retraction process follows the guidelines outlined in PJAIMR’s Retraction Policy. The article will remain in the journal's archive but will be clearly marked as retracted.

  • Author’s Ethical Responsibility: Authors who wish to retract their article post-publication must contact the editorial office, providing justification for retraction (e.g., data fabrication, plagiarism, serious errors in research methodology). A formal retraction notice will be published alongside the article.

  • Public Notification of Retraction: In cases of retraction, a retraction notice will be published in the journal, explaining the reason for the retraction, and a record will be maintained on the article’s DOI and in citation databases.

5. Special Circumstances for Withdrawal: Under exceptional circumstances, such as cases of plagiarism, research misconduct, or violations of journal policies (e.g., failure to disclose conflicts of interest, duplicate publication), the editorial team may decide to withdraw a manuscript even after it has been published. In such cases:

  • Investigation Process: The editorial board will conduct a thorough investigation into the matter, which may involve external experts or the institution(s) of the authors.

  • Immediate Action: If the issue involves a serious ethical violation, the journal may immediately remove the article from the website, pending further investigation, but it will remain in the journal’s archive with a clear notice explaining the withdrawal or retraction.

  • Communication with Authors: Authors will be informed about the findings of the investigation and the decision made by the editorial board.

6. Fee for Withdrawal: A fee may be charged to the authors if a manuscript is withdrawn after acceptance but before publication, particularly if the journal has already incurred costs in processing the manuscript (e.g., peer review, editing, or typesetting). The amount of the fee will depend on the stage of publication and will be communicated to the authors in advance.

7. Ethical and Legal Considerations: PJAIMR ensures that all withdrawal requests comply with ethical guidelines and legal standards. Authors are expected to:

  • Be Transparent: Provide full and accurate information about the reason for withdrawal or retraction.

  • Avoid Unjustified Withdrawal: Withdrawals or retractions based on trivial reasons or personal conflicts will not be entertained, especially after the article has undergone extensive editorial and peer review processes.

  • Protect the Integrity of the Journal: Authors are advised to adhere to the best ethical practices and comply with international guidelines for research integrity and publication ethics.

8. Record-Keeping and Documentation: All withdrawal requests will be documented by the editorial office. If a manuscript is withdrawn or retracted, it will be clearly marked in the journal’s archives, with a record of the decision and the reason for the withdrawal. The journal ensures that all records are kept for future reference and transparency.

9. Publication of Withdrawal and Retraction Notices: In cases of manuscript withdrawal or retraction, the following actions will be taken:

  • Withdrawal Notice: A brief notice will be published on the journal’s website indicating that the article has been withdrawn, including the reason for the withdrawal, if appropriate.

  • Retraction Notice: A formal retraction notice will be published, and the article will remain accessible in the archives, with a clear statement indicating that the article has been retracted.