The Pakistan Journal of Physical Therapy (PJPT) is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of ethical publishing and scholarly integrity. In certain circumstances, it may become necessary to retract published articles or withdraw unpublished manuscripts. The following policy outlines the procedures and criteria for retraction and withdrawal within PJPT.

Retraction of Published Articles:

Retraction of a published article is considered on the following grounds:

1. Gross Errors: If a published article contains significant errors in the results, methodology, or findings that fundamentally undermine the validity and integrity of the research.
2. Plagiarism: In cases where post-publication detection of plagiarism or academic misconduct is confirmed.
3. Redundant or Duplicate Publication: When a published article is found to be a substantial duplication of previously published work, either by the same or different authors.
4. Unethical Research Results: If the research results or data used in the published article are found to be obtained unethically or are in violation of ethical standards.
5. Major Conflict of Interest: When there is a confirmed and significant conflict of interest that was not disclosed at the time of publication, which could have materially affected the interpretation or credibility of the research.

There is no time bar for retraction. Articles may be retracted at any point when they meet the above criteria.

Retraction Process:

The decision to retract an article is made by the Editor-in-Chief of PJPT after a comprehensive investigation. This decision is communicated to the author(s), and if retraction is deemed necessary, a formal retraction notice is published, providing a clear statement of the reasons for retraction.

Withdrawal of Unpublished Manuscripts:

If authors wish to withdraw an unpublished manuscript during the processing stage, they should follow this procedure:

1. Authors should send an email to PJPT, indicating their intention to withdraw the manuscript, along with the signatures of all co-authors on the withdrawal form.

2. Upon receiving the signed withdrawal form, an official decision of withdrawal will be sent via email.

Please note that without the proper application and confirmation email of withdrawal, a manuscript is not considered withdrawn, and the use of such a manuscript elsewhere will be viewed as an ethical misconduct.

Contact and Inquiries:

For all inquiries, retraction requests, or withdrawal notifications, please contact the editorial team of PJPT at pjpt@uipt.uol.edu.pk, arooj.fatima1@uipt.uol.edu.pk, or sana.ashraf@uipt.uol.edu.pk. We are committed to upholding ethical publishing practices and transparency in all aspects of scholarly communication.

This Retraction Policy is subject to periodic review and may be updated as needed to align with evolving standards and best practices in academic publishing.