The owner of a Burger King in then-Ald. Edward Burke’s Southwest Side ward told a federal jury Tuesday he agreed to hire the powerful Democrat’s property tax law firm to get the alderman to lift roadblocks to remodeling his restaurant and also sent a political donation to support Burke’s candidate for mayor.

       The long-awaited testimony of Shoukat Dhanani, CEO of the Texas-based company that owns about 150 Burger Kings in the Chicago area, struck at the heart of the corruption allegations against Burke, who is accused of using his official position to extract private legal business from developers.

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       Through Dhanani’s account, as well as in emails and wiretapped calls, prosecutors painted a picture of Burke actively on the prowl. He took personal note of the status of construction at their Burger King location on South Pulaski Road, openly solicited business for his law firm at a country club meeting with Dhanani, and told his longtime ward aide, Peter Andrews Jr., to play hardball and shut down the remodeling work when Dhanani initially failed to come through, according to trial testimony.