18. Withdrawal Policy

Purpose

The Pakistan Journal of Gastroenterology (PJG) recognizes that authors may occasionally need to withdraw a manuscript due to genuine scientific, ethical, or administrative reasons. This policy outlines the conditions under which manuscript withdrawal may be requested and the procedures followed by the Journal to ensure fairness, transparency, and the integrity of the scholarly publishing process.

This policy has been developed in accordance with the recommendations of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).

18.1 Definition of Withdrawal

A manuscript withdrawal refers to the removal of a manuscript before its formal publication.

Once an article has been published online or in print, it cannot be withdrawn. Post-publication concerns will instead be addressed through the Journal's Correction, Expression of Concern, or Retraction Policy, as appropriate.

18.2 Withdrawal Before Peer Review

Authors may request withdrawal of their manuscript before the peer-review process begins.

The request must:

  • Be submitted by the Corresponding Author.
  • Include the manuscript title and manuscript ID.
  • Clearly state the reason for withdrawal.
  • Confirm that all co-authors have been informed and agree to the withdrawal.

If approved, the manuscript will be withdrawn without penalty.

18.3 Withdrawal During Peer Review

If a manuscript is under peer review, withdrawal requests will be considered only under exceptional circumstances.

Examples include:

  • Serious errors discovered in the manuscript.
  • Ethical concerns identified by the authors.
  • Duplicate submission made inadvertently.
  • Other valid scientific or administrative reasons.

The Editorial Office will review the request before making a final decision.

18.4 Withdrawal After Acceptance

Requests to withdraw a manuscript after acceptance are strongly discouraged.

Such requests will only be considered in exceptional circumstances, including:

  • Major scientific errors that invalidate the findings.
  • Newly identified ethical issues.
  • Legal or regulatory concerns.

The Editor-in-Chief will determine whether withdrawal is appropriate after reviewing the supporting evidence.

18.5 Required Documentation

A withdrawal request must include:

  • A signed request from the Corresponding Author.
  • Confirmation that all co-authors agree with the withdrawal.
  • A detailed explanation for the request.
  • Supporting documentation where applicable.

The Journal may request additional information before making a decision.

18.6 Unethical Withdrawal

The following practices are considered unethical and may result in editorial action:

  • Withdrawing a manuscript after extensive peer review without a valid reason.
  • Simultaneous submission of the same manuscript to another journal.
  • Requesting withdrawal after acceptance solely to publish elsewhere.
  • Failure to respond to editorial correspondence for an extended period without explanation.

In such cases, the Journal may reject the manuscript and may notify the authors' institution(s) if serious publication misconduct is identified.

18.7 Editorial Decision

The Editor-in-Chief has the final authority to approve or decline a withdrawal request.

The Journal reserves the right to continue investigating suspected publication misconduct even if a withdrawal request has been submitted.

18.8 Editorial Record

For administrative and ethical purposes, the Journal will maintain an internal record of all withdrawn manuscripts, including:

  • Manuscript title.
  • Manuscript identification number.
  • Date of withdrawal.
  • Reason for withdrawal.
  • Editorial correspondence.

These records will remain confidential unless disclosure is required as part of an ethical investigation.

18.9 Policy Compliance

By submitting a manuscript, authors acknowledge that:

  • Withdrawal requests must be made in good faith.
  • All co-authors must agree to the withdrawal.
  • The Journal may refuse withdrawal where publication misconduct is suspected.
  • Withdrawal does not prevent the Journal from investigating ethical concerns.

References

This policy has been developed in accordance with:

  • Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) – Core Practices and COPE Flowcharts.
  • International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) Recommendations.
  • World Association of Medical Editors (WAME) Recommendations.
  • Principles of Transparency and Best Practice in Scholarly Publishing (DOAJ, COPE, OASPA, WAME).