A member of the Liberal Democratic Party's central committee confirmed the decision to RFE/RL's Uzbek Service after a party meeting today in Tashkent.
The decision must still be endorsed at a party congress in early November.
Karimov is constitutionally barred from running for another term. However, many observers expect him to try to skirt a two-term limit on the presidency and he has been silent over his intentions, despite the start of the official campaign.