Policy & Guidelines

1. Peer Review Policy
2. Pricing Policy
3. Publication Ethics Statement
4. Authorship Policy

5. Retraction Policy
6. Anti-plagiarism policy

1. Peer Review Policy

The journal maintains a rigorous and fair peer review process to ensure the quality and validity of published manuscripts. All submitted articles are evaluated by at least two independent and anonymous reviewers who are experts in the relevant field. 

The review process is double-blind, meaning that the identities of the authors and reviewers are kept confidential. Reviewers are asked to evaluate the manuscript's originality, significance, methodology, results, and overall quality. They are also encouraged to provide constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement.

The journal aims to provide timely and transparent feedback to the authors. Reviewers must complete their evaluations within the specified timeframe and provide clear and detailed feedback. The editorial team makes the final decision on whether to accept, reject or ask for revisions based on the reviewers' feedback.

2. Pricing Policy

(Effective from 2024 onwards) The Journal of Peace and Diplomacy operates on a submission fee-free policy to encourage open participation. However, authors are required to cover the Article Processing Charge (APC) once, which supports expenses related to peer review administration, professional article production in various formats including PDF, website management, CrossRef membership, and dissemination of published papers across different platforms, alongside other publishing costs.

Authors are expected to pay the following fees:

Pakistani authors: 15,000 PKR
Non-Pakistani authors: 60 USD 

Payment Method:
Bank Transfer

The specified amount should be transferred to the following account: 

Account Title : DIPLOMATIC INSIGHT PUBLISHERS PVT LTD
Account No: 20012034033
Branch code: 0016
Swift code: SONEPKKAISD
IBAN: PK32SONE0001620012034033
Branch Address : Main Branch Blue Area, Islamabad
Bank Name: Soneri Bank Limited

3. Publication Ethics Statement

Journal of Peace and Diplomacy follows the ethical guidelines for publication outlined by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. In view of that, the authors, the reviewers, and the editors are expected to follow the best-practice guidelines:

HEC Guidelines

4. Authorship Policy 

  • Credits 

Only those who have significantly contributed to the construction of the article will receive authorship credits. The corresponding author is responsible for giving credit to co-authors who have played a significant role in the work. The corresponding author must ensure that all co-authors have approved the final submission and the ready version for publication. Individuals who have contributed to specific substantive aspects of the research should be recognized for their contribution in the "Acknowledgement" section.

  • Changes in Authorship 

Upon submission of the article to the journal, it is the responsibility of the authors to provide the names of all authors. Once the article is accepted for publication, any changes to the authors' names, such as additions, deletions, or rearrangements, will not be allowed unless the journal's editor approves them. If a change is necessary, the corresponding author must provide the editor with the reason for the change, along with written confirmation from all authors, including the author who is being added or removed. The editor may only consider such changes in exceptional circumstances with a compelling reason. The processing of the manuscript will be put on hold while the editor considers the request. If the manuscript has already been published online, the editor may not entertain any requests for changes.

  • Order of Authors

Before submitting an article to the journal, the authors have to come to a mutual agreement about the order in which their names will appear. Any conflicts regarding author orders should be resolved beforehand.

  • Anonymous Authorship

It is not suitable to use pseudonyms or publish without revealing the author's identity because transparency and accountability are essential in authorship. Only in highly uncommon situations where attaching the author's name could result in severe challenges, such as personal safety threats or job loss, would the journal editor consider publishing anonymous material.

  • Acknowledgment

The Acknowledgments section allows authors to acknowledge the names and contributions of individuals who, although their involvement in the study did not meet the criteria for authorship according to the journal policy, have still made some contribution to the article.

5. Retraction Policy

The journal is committed to publishing high-quality, original research that adheres to rigorous ethical and scientific standards. In certain circumstances, we may need to retract published content due to concerns about the integrity or validity of the research or issues related to ethical or legal compliance.

Circumstances for Retraction: 

  • The editorial office has received notification that the material is damaging, violates a third party's intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or other legal rights, or is otherwise unlawful.
  • There has been or is a possibility of a court or government directive instructing the elimination of such content. 
  • If the content is implemented, it would present a severe and immediate threat to health and safety of people.

Process for Retraction:

If a request for retraction is received or concerns about the content are identified, the journal will initiate an investigation into the matter. This may involve requesting additional information from the authors, reviewers, or third parties or conducting an internal review of the content.

If the investigation confirms that the content violates the journal's publishing policies, the editorial team will contact the authors to request a retraction. The authors will be given an opportunity to respond and provide any additional information or clarification.

The decision to retract the content will be made by the journal's Editor-in-Chief or another member of the editorial team in consultation with the publisher. The retraction will be published in the next available issue of the journal and will be clearly labeled as a retraction.

If the retraction is temporary, the content will be removed and marked as "retracted" until it is reinstated or permanently removed. If the retraction is permanent, the content will be removed from the journal's website and any archives, and a statement will be issued explaining the reason for the retraction. 

Please note that in the event of a retraction, the Article Processing Charge (APC) will not be refunded. The APC is collected to cover the costs associated with the peer review process, article production, and publication infrastructure, which have already been incurred by the journal upon publication. 

Appeals: 

Authors who disagree with a retraction decision may appeal to the Editor-in-Chief or publisher in writing. The appeal will be reviewed by the editorial team, and the decision will be communicated to the authors in writing. The decision of the editorial team is final and cannot be appealed. 

6. Anti-plagiarism policy

Journal of Peace and Diplomacy follows the Higher Education Commission (HEC) plagiarism policy and uses Turnitin Originality Report software to safeguard and uphold academic integrity and foster original thinking. The journal allows an overall similarity of the content maximum of up to 19%, and single-source similarity must not exceed 5%. 

The Editorial Board of the Journal of Peace and Diplomacy upholds a strict stance against academic dishonesty in any research paper submitted for publication. Authors are required to uphold academic integrity and accept accountability for their work's authenticity. Should any form of research misconduct, including plagiarism, citation manipulation, or data falsification/fabrication, be detected, the editorial team of the Journal of Peace and Diplomacy will adhere to the guidelines provided by the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) or similar standards for addressing such allegations. 

Policy on the Use of AI  

Acknowledging the increasing significance of Artificial Intelligence (AI), we have established the following policy to uphold transparency, integrity, and accurate attribution in scholarly publications involving AI-assisted technologies:

Disclosure Requirement: Authors must openly disclose the utilization of AI-assisted tools, such as chatbots or image creators, in their submissions. This disclosure should be prominently stated within the manuscript's methodology section or provided as a separate declaration.

Non-Attribution of AI as an Author: AI algorithms, tools, or systems must not be credited as authors of the manuscript. Authorship should accurately reflect the contributions of human researchers engaged in the study and analysis.

Human Oversight and Responsibility: Authors bear the responsibility of overseeing the manuscript preparation process, ensuring the accuracy and appropriateness of AI-generated content. They must maintain a balance between AI assistance and human involvement, ensuring that human judgment and expertise guide the research process.

Attribution of AI-generated Content: Proper acknowledgment is essential for any content produced or significantly influenced by AI technologies. Authors should transparently identify in the manuscript which sections or elements were AI-assisted, supported by relevant citations or references. 

Submissions must be original works of authors. Excessive reliance on AI-generated content will not be tolerated.