LAHORE, Sept. 9 -- Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi's proposal to seek public opinion on new provinces has sparked a constitutional debate in Pakistan. The proposal has raised questions about whether a referendum could help decide changes to the country's federal structure. Naqvi did not directly use the word referendum in his recent remarks. However, his suggestion to present a draft plan to the public has widely linked to the idea of seeking a broader public mandate.

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Speaking at a National Policy Dialogue in Lahore, Naqvi said administrative reforms should not be imposed by an individual, political party, or government. Instead, he called for discussions involving p...