KARACHI:
The Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PJPS), published by the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Karachi, represents an important achievement in Pakistan’s scientific publishing landscape. Established in 1988, it has developed from a national journal into an international, peer-reviewed, open-access publication covering pharmaceutical, biomedical and medicinal sciences. With more than 3,500 published articles, over 12,400 Google Scholar citations and readership across more than 89 countries, PJPS reflects the growing international visibility of research originating from a Pakistani public-sector university.
Its inclusion in MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online) in 2005 significantly enhanced international discoverability, allowing research published in the journal to enter wider biomedical databases, systematic reviews and global scholarly discussion. The journal’s shift to monthly publication in January 2026 has increased its publication capacity, although this expansion also places greater responsibility on maintaining rigorous editorial and scientific standards.
A major strength of PJPS is its multidisciplinary scope, linking pharmacy with chemistry, biology, medicine, biotechnology, pharmacology, toxicology, computational sciences and public health. Its open-access model broadens access to research, particularly for scholars in resource-constrained institutions. At the same time, the journal emphasises peer review, confidentiality, conflict-of-interest disclosure, research integrity and responsible authorship. It has also responded to emerging concerns about generative AI, particularly the protection of confidential manuscripts and the preservation of human responsibility in scientific judgement.
PJPS also illustrates the importance of developing internationally connected scholarly institutions without losing local academic identity. While citation metrics and impact factors remain relevant, its longer-term value lies in methodological quality, originality, reproducibility and research that can influence clinical practice, pharmaceutical development and health policy.
After nearly four decades, PJPS has become part of the institutional memory of the University of Karachi and of Pakistan’s scientific development. Its future challenge is not simply to publish more, but to strengthen quality, ethical responsibility, interdisciplinary collaboration and the training of younger researchers. Its enduring lesson is that credible scientific institutions are built gradually through continuity, standards, integrity and trust across generations.
Dr Intikhab Ulfat
Karachi
