Global Pakistan Studies Research Review (GPSRR) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. Plagiarism undermines the credibility of scholarly research and the academic publishing process. To uphold the integrity of scholarly publishing, GPSRR enforces a strict plagiarism policy.

Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's words, ideas, data, images, or other intellectual property as one's own without appropriate acknowledgment. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. Copying Text: Directly copying text from other sources without quotation marks and proper citation.
2. Paraphrasing: Rewriting someone else’s ideas or findings without proper acknowledgment.
3. Unacknowledged Use of Data: Using data, figures, or tables from other sources without appropriate attribution.
4. Self-Plagiarism: Reusing substantial portions of one’s previously published work without proper citation, acknowledgment, or editorial approval where required.
5. AI-Assisted Content: The use of generative AI tools does not exempt authors from responsibility for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their manuscripts. Authors must ensure that any AI-assisted content is carefully reviewed, appropriately disclosed where required, and does not infringe copyright or constitute plagiarism. Authors remain fully responsible for all content submitted for publication, regardless of whether AI tools were used during manuscript preparation.

All manuscripts are screened using plagiarism detection software. Editorial assessment considers both the similarity report and the nature of the matched text. Even manuscripts with a low similarity score may be rejected if plagiarism is identified.

GPSRR does not rely solely on similarity percentages. As a general guideline, manuscripts with an overall similarity index exceeding 10%, excluding references, bibliography, properly quoted material, and commonly used phrases, may undergo additional editorial review. Editorial decisions are based on both the similarity report and the context of the matched content.

Plagiarism may take various forms, including but not limited to:

1. Direct Plagiarism: Copying text, ideas, or other content verbatim from another source without proper quotation, attribution, or permission where required.
2. Paraphrasing Plagiarism: Rewriting or rephrasing another author's ideas, findings, or text without appropriate acknowledgment or citation.
3. Mosaic Plagiarism: Incorporating phrases, sentence structures, or ideas from one or more sources while making only minor changes, without proper citation.
4. Self-Plagiarism: Reusing substantial portions of one’s own previously published work without proper citation, acknowledgment, or editorial approval where applicable.
5. Data and Figure Plagiarism: Using data, tables, figures, images, graphs, or other visual materials from another source without appropriate attribution or permission when required.
6. Duplicate Publication: Submitting or publishing the same or substantially similar manuscript in more than one journal or publication without proper disclosure and editorial approval.
7. Salami Publication: Inappropriately dividing the results of a single research study into multiple publications to increase the number of published articles without sufficient scientific justification.
8. Source-Based Plagiarism: Misrepresenting or fabricating references, citing sources that have not been consulted, or providing inaccurate citations that mislead readers regarding the origin of information.

1. GPSRR Threshold: GPSRR uses a similarity index threshold of 10% as a general guideline during editorial screening. Manuscripts exceeding this threshold may be returned for revision, subjected to further editorial review, or rejected, depending on the extent and nature of the identified overlap.
2. HEC Similarity Threshold: For reference, the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan permits a higher similarity threshold of 19%. GPSRR adopts a stricter editorial standard to promote originality and uphold the highest standards of academic integrity.

1. Plagiarism Detection Tools: All submissions to GPSRR are screened using advanced plagiarism detection software to identify textual overlap with published scholarly literature, books, conference proceedings, dissertations, institutional repositories, and reputable online sources.
2. Author Responsibility: Authors are responsible for obtaining permission where required to reproduce copyrighted material and for providing accurate citations for all borrowed ideas, figures, tables, and text.
3. Editorial Judgment: The use of plagiarism detection software is intended to support editorial decision-making and does not replace independent editorial judgment.

1. Preliminary Editorial Assessment: If plagiarism is suspected, the editor will conduct a preliminary assessment to determine the extent and nature of the overlap.
2. Verification: If necessary, the editorial office will compare the manuscript with the identified sources to determine the extent and nature of the overlap. Authors may be requested to provide an explanation or supporting documentation before a final decision is made.

1. Minor Plagiarism: Minor instances of plagiarism, such as inadequate citation, minor referencing errors, or unintentional textual overlap, may require authors to revise the manuscript before it can proceed in the review process. Authors will be required to correct the identified issues and resubmit the revised manuscript for editorial evaluation.
2. Major Plagiarism: In cases of significant or deliberate plagiarism, the manuscript will be rejected, and the authors will be notified. If plagiarism is identified after publication, the article may be retracted following an editorial investigation. The retracted article will remain part of the scholarly record and will be clearly identified with a retraction notice.
3. Repeated Offenses: Authors found to have committed repeated or serious acts of plagiarism may be prohibited from submitting manuscripts to GPSRR for a specified period or permanently, depending on the severity of the misconduct. The Editor may also notify the author's affiliated institution, funding agency, or other relevant authorities where appropriate.

Originality Statement: Authors are required to submit a statement of originality confirming that their manuscript is free from plagiarism and that all sources of information have been properly cited.

By submitting a manuscript, authors confirm that the work is original, has not been published elsewhere, is not under consideration by another journal, and complies with this plagiarism policy.

Right to Appeal: Authors who believe that their work has been wrongly accused of plagiarism may appeal the decision. The appeal will be reviewed by the Editorial Board, and a final decision will be made based on a thorough investigation. Appeals should be submitted within 30 days of the editorial decision.

Public Disclosure: If plagiarism is confirmed after publication, GPSRR will issue a correction, expression of concern, or retraction, depending on the severity of the case, following established editorial guidelines.