Latif Pasha was a Circassians born at Nusretli in the Drama district and joined the Ottoman Navy where he became a frigate captain.
He was sentenced to death during his naval career for losing his ship but was saved when French officers intervened.
He was then posted to Khartoum and succeeded Khalid Khusraw Pasha on 13 February 1850 to become governor general of the Sudan.
He allegedly shot his Aide-de-Camp and a Greek friend of his wife and had their bodies secretly buried in the palace.
Latif Pasha worked as an inspector of dockyards in Bulaq around 1862-63 and managed steamers to Khartoum.