ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto recently sent Indian Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani the gift of a book by Robert D. Kaplan, Dawn learnt through well-informed sources Tuesday.

Ms Bhutto reportedly wrote in her note to the Indian deputy premier that she thought of him when she saw the book.

Robert Kaplan, a correspondent for The Atlantic Monthly, is the author of the acclaimed Balkan Ghosts and has written a number of other books. His recent titles include: ‘The Coming Anarchy: shattering the dreams of the post cold war’ and ‘The Ends of the Earth: a journey at the dawn of the 21st century’.

The friendly gesture made by Benazir, who twice served as the country’s prime minister, coincides with the sending of traditional gift of mangoes by President Gen Pervez Musharraf to the Indian Prime Minister Atal Vehari Vajpayee and the newly elected President Abdul Kalam Azad.

However, Benazir has sent an intellectual gift to a man who many in Delhi believe will succeed Atal Behari Vajpayee. The self-exiled Chairperson of the Pakistan People’s Party told BBC in an interview last week that she would return to Pakistan this month to contest the parliamentary elections. She has been in exile for three years.

Farhatullah Babar, the PPP spokesperson, when contacted for confirmation of the report on Tuesday afternoon, said he was not aware of it. “Not that I know of,” was his response when queried about the gift.