I prefer to use commands that are valid for atleast the last few versions of mIRC if possible. Especially since many people are holding on to mIRC 6.16 until there is a bugfix for the latest version, so /noop is a command I never use.
Anyway, I have this on input event that echoes and evaluates anything that I type in the status window, like typing $me will echo my nickname, because I have something like: echo -a [Status] $($1-,2) There the $read worked so I assumed !.echo -q $read would work but guess not. Anyway one can just use:
//!.echo -q $read(*)
An asterisk, as that can never be part of a filename, therefore guaranteeing that $readn will be reset.
Or a small adjustment to what I first suggested: //!.echo -q $($read)