20. License to Publish

Purpose

The Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology (PJG) requires authors to grant the Journal a License to Publish upon acceptance of their manuscript. This license enables the Journal to publish, distribute, archive, index, and preserve the scholarly work while allowing authors to retain copyright, unless otherwise specified.

This policy promotes the broad dissemination of scientific knowledge while protecting the rights of both authors and the Journal. It is developed in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE), the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE), the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ), and the World Association of Medical Editors (WAME).

20.1 Grant of License

Upon acceptance of a manuscript, all authors grant the Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology (PJG) a non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual license to:

  • Publish the article in print and electronic formats.
  • Reproduce and distribute the published work.
  • Assign and display a Digital Object Identifier (DOI).
  • Archive the article in digital repositories and preservation systems.
  • Include the article in indexing and abstracting databases.
  • Make the article permanently available through the Journal website.
  • Promote and disseminate the published work for scholarly purposes.

The license becomes effective upon publication of the article.

20.2 Copyright Ownership

Unless otherwise stated in the publishing agreement:

  • Authors retain the copyright of their work.
  • The Journal receives only the rights necessary to publish and disseminate the article.
  • Authors remain the owners of the intellectual property contained within the manuscript.

Further details are provided in the Journal's Copyright Notice.

20.3 Author Rights

Authors may, after publication:

  • Share the published article with colleagues.
  • Deposit the published version in institutional or subject repositories.
  • Use the article in teaching, research, and academic presentations.
  • Include the article in theses, dissertations, books, or academic portfolios.
  • Share the article on personal or institutional websites, provided appropriate citation to the Journal and DOI is included.

These rights remain with the authors under the terms of the Journal's publication license.

20.4 Author Warranties

By signing the License to Publish, authors confirm that:

  • The manuscript is original.
  • The work has not been published previously, except where appropriately disclosed.
  • The manuscript is not under consideration by another journal.
  • All listed authors have approved the submission.
  • Necessary ethical approvals have been obtained.
  • Appropriate permissions have been secured for any third-party copyrighted material.
  • The manuscript does not infringe the rights of any individual or organization.

20.5 Third-Party Material

Authors remain responsible for obtaining written permission to reproduce any copyrighted material owned by third parties, including:

  • Figures.
  • Tables.
  • Photographs.
  • Illustrations.
  • Questionnaires.
  • Maps.
  • Supplementary material.

Copies of permission letters may be requested before publication.

20.6 Open Access and Licensing

Published articles will be made available under the Journal's designated publication license, as specified on the Journal website.

The applicable license governs how readers may:

  • Read.
  • Download.
  • Share.
  • Reproduce.
  • Distribute.
  • Reuse published content.

Authors should consult the Journal's Open Access Policy and Copyright Notice for additional details.

20.7 Editorial Rights

The Journal reserves the right to:

  • Copyedit manuscripts for grammar, style, and formatting.
  • Format manuscripts according to the Journal's publication standards.
  • Correct typographical or production errors.
  • Publish corrections where necessary after publication.

Such editorial modifications will not alter the scientific meaning of the work.

20.8 Withdrawal of License

Once an article has been formally published, the License to Publish cannot ordinarily be withdrawn.

If significant ethical concerns arise after publication, the Journal may take appropriate editorial action, including:

  • Correction.
  • Expression of Concern.
  • Retraction.

Such actions will follow the Journal's established publication ethics policies.

20.9 Policy Compliance

Submission of a manuscript and execution of the License to Publish indicate that:

  • All authors agree to the terms of this policy.
  • The Corresponding Author has obtained consent from all co-authors.
  • The information provided is accurate and complete.
  • The authors understand their rights and responsibilities under this publishing agreement.

References

This policy has been developed in accordance with:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) – Core Practices.
  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations.
  • Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) – Principles of Transparency and Best Practice.
  • World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Recommendations.
  • Creative Commons Licensing Framework (where applicable).