Abstract
This paper seeks to explore the meaning of the term “Left” by problematizing its various conceptualizations. It further attempts to determine the typologies of the Leftist parties by keeping the problematic of definition, under consideration. The underlying motive of this endeavor, is to narrow down the focus of this debate, to the phenomenon of Leftist movement in Pakistan, so as to arrive at its more reflexive understanding during 1947-71, by defining Left in Pakistan as well as determining its typologies in context of the socio politics realities of the country. This paper is divided into four sections. The first deals with various definitions of the term “Left”. It problematizes this concept by making use of modern historians’ approach of “interpretation of conflict through conflicts in interpretations.” The second part focuses on the typologies. It implicates two important issues: (i) analysis of factors affecting the typologies; and (ii) two broad schemes of typologies discussed by James C. Docherty 1 and Stefano Bartolinie 2 , in their works. The third section narrows down the focus of debate to India, as it deals with the definition, and a brief survey of the typologies of Leftist parties in India during the second half of the twentieth century. The fourth addresses the problematic of definition of Left and typologies of Leftist parties and groups in Pakistan.

Irfan Waheed Usmani. (2020) Definition of the “Left” and the problematic of fixing / determining the typologies of “Leftist Parties” in Pakistan, Journal of the Punjab University Historical Society, Volume 33 , Issue 2.
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