Ethics for Journal

 These guidelines are adapted from the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan manual Ethical Guidelines for Journals (prepared by the University of the Punjab, Lahore). They apply to all parties involved in the publication process, including authors, reviewers, and editors. The International Journal of Islamic Economics and Governance is committed to upholding and implementing these ethical standards across its editorial, peer-review, and publishing processes to ensure integrity, transparency, and academic rigor.

For Authors

General Responsibilities

Authors must comply with the journal’s ethical standards. Any breach may result in editorial action, including rejection, retraction, or suspension of publishing privileges.

Reporting Standards

Authors should present research methods, data, and findings accurately and with sufficient detail to allow verification. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements are unethical and unacceptable.

Originality and Plagiarism

Plagiarism in all forms is unacceptable. Verbatim material must be placed in quotation marks and properly cited. Manuscripts may be screened through similarity detection software; where a similarity index exceeds 19%, the manuscript may be rejected or considered for conditional acceptance at the discretion of the Editorial Board in line with HEC policy.

Declaration

Authors must declare that the submission is original, has not been published previously, and is not under consideration elsewhere. For co-authored manuscripts, all authors must agree to authorship, the order of authorship, and submission of the final version.

Acknowledgement of Sources

Authors must properly acknowledge the work of others through appropriate citation and referencing. Contributions of individuals, organizations, or institutions, including financial support, should be stated in the acknowledgements where applicable.

Authorship Criteria

Authorship should be limited to those who have made substantial contributions to the conception, design, execution, analysis, or writing of the manuscript. The corresponding author is responsible for ensuring that all co-authors have reviewed and approved the final manuscript and consented to submission.

Privacy of Participants

Authors must respect research participants’ privacy and confidentiality. Where identification of participants is necessary, explicit and informed consent must be obtained.

Data Access and Retention

Authors should be prepared to provide raw data to the Editor if questions arise regarding the accuracy or integrity of the work during review. Authors must also provide an accurate description of how images were generated and ensure that visual materials are not manipulated in a misleading manner.

Manuscript Status, Revision, and Appeals

Authors may contact the Editor to inquire about manuscript status during the review process. Where revisions are requested, authors must submit a revised manuscript along with a point-by-point response to reviewer comments. Authors may appeal editorial decisions by formally contacting the Editor with supporting justification.

For Reviewers

Competence and Timeliness

Reviewers should decline a review request if the manuscript falls outside their expertise and should inform the Editor promptly. Reviewers are expected to submit reports within the agreed timelines.

Objectivity and Fairness

Reviews must be objective, evidence-based, and focused on academic merit. Decisions should not be influenced by personal, financial, institutional, political, religious, or other conflicts. Reviewers must not use unpublished information obtained through peer review without permission from the Editor.

Conflict of Interest

Reviewers must disclose any potential conflicts of interest. If a reviewer is unable to provide an unbiased evaluation, the manuscript should be returned to the Editor without review, with a brief explanation.

Confidentiality

Manuscripts under review are confidential documents. Reviewers must not share, discuss, or distribute manuscript content without the Editor’s authorization.

Ethical Vigilance

Reviewers should alert the Editor if they suspect plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated or unreliable results, or unethical treatment of human participants. Where possible, reviewers should provide supporting references or evidence.

Assessment of Originality

When assessing originality, reviewers should consider whether the manuscript:

  • Adds to existing knowledge and literature

  • Presents clear research questions and/or hypotheses aligned with the study objectives

For Editors

Editorial Responsibilities

The Editor is responsible for maintaining the quality and integrity of the journal by ensuring that editorial decisions are based on scholarly merit, relevance to scope, and adherence to ethical standards.

Good Editorial Practices

Editors should:

  • Encourage innovation and continuous improvement in journal quality

  • Implement double-blind peer review in letter and spirit

  • Enforce anti-plagiarism and journal policies without institutional or external pressure

Fair Play and Impartiality

Editorial decisions must be made without discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, or institutional affiliation.

Confidentiality

Editors must ensure confidentiality of authors and reviewers throughout the peer review process and protect the confidentiality of research participants. Manuscript content must remain confidential prior to publication.

Peer Review and Editorial Oversight

Editors will:

  • Conduct an initial editorial screening before peer review

  • Ensure that reviewers receive sufficient guidance and evaluation criteria

  • Communicate reviewer feedback to authors and oversee incorporation of revisions

  • Refer complex or disputed cases to the Advisory Committee, where appropriate

Dealing with Misconduct

Editors will actively address misconduct by:

  • Confirming suspected plagiarism (e.g., Turnitin checks and related verification)

  • Requesting clarifications or investigations when concerns arise

  • Issuing corrections (corrigenda) or retractions, and removing plagiarized content when required

Transparency and Publication Limits

To maintain transparency and manage conflicts of interest:

  • Only one paper by a Principal Investigator (PI) may be published in the same issue

  • Editorial Board Members are limited to one paper per issue

  • Authorship and co-authorship policies will be strictly applied

Conflict of Interest and Disclosure

Editors and reviewers must not handle manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists. Editors will not use unpublished data or information from submissions without written permission of the author(s).

Publication Decisions

Only manuscripts relevant to the journal’s scope and meeting academic standards will be accepted. Acceptance or rejection decisions will be communicated in a timely manner, and the Editor will provide reasons for rejection where applicable.

Appeals Procedure

The Editor will maintain a formal mechanism to address appeals related to:

  • Rejection decisions

  • Objections to published content that may cause harm

  • Alleged breaches of ethical standards in any form